


Choose

by 13C9H13NO3



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Family, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:49:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 22,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25809892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/13C9H13NO3/pseuds/13C9H13NO3
Summary: An attack on Lucifer initiates a series of events that will upend everyone’s Universe. (Cross-posted on FanFiction.net)
Relationships: Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar
Comments: 15
Kudos: 66
Collections: Lucifer and Chloe





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this before the Season 5 trailer dropped, so I am super stoked that Michael is officially “joining” the cast of Lucifer. I tweaked it a little bit to try and make it canon compliant, but there is only so much that can be done off of a trailer for half of a season.
> 
> Also, I’m not one hundred percent happy with it, but I’m okay with that because I need a little bit of a break from it, and, more importantly, this probably won’t be the last version as I plan on updating it to make it as canon compliant as possible.
> 
> UPDATE (8/16/20): In my excitement to finally post this I forgot to mention that I wrote it with the intention of it taking place after Season 5, so that Lucifer is no longer in Hell and has already had his initial showdown with God.
> 
> NOTE: This is a fan fiction inspired by the "Lucifer" TV show. I do not own these characters.

“You really need to turn that frown upside down Detective.”

“I’m not in the mood Lucifer.”

“I don’t see what you’re so upset about. We got the bad guy. No one got hurt.” Lucifer pulled at his cufflinks. “Another case successfully closed.”

“Except I should be the one putting myself in danger, not you.”

“I’m immortal Detective, I was never in any real danger.” Lucifer sat on the edge of Chloe’s desk. “Especially with you waiting outside.”

“Do you know what it is like every time I wait outside?” Chloe turned around and stood face to face with her partner. “It’s torture. I’m the cop. I’m the one that is supposed to run towards danger. It’s what I signed up for. It’s what I trained for.” Chloe buried her face in her fists. “And I know that logically speaking it made sense for you to go in by yourself. And that as long as I’m far enough away you’ll be fine, but that doesn’t make every moment that I am waiting for you to come back any less agonizing.”

“Detective I-”

“Hey, did you get the guy from the Vulpes case?” Dan said as he reached at Chloe’s desk.

“Yeah, he’s being processed right now.”

“Great timing. The autopsy report just came back from yesterday’s homicide. Looks like it’s gonna be a late night so I’m gonna go pick up some sandwiches.”

“You know what?” Chloe grabbed her keys from her desk drawer. “I’ll go.” 

“You sure?”

“Yeah, you can catch Lucifer up on everything.”

“Detective-”

Chloe came out from behind her desk and strode towards the elevators. “I’ll be back in fifteen minutes.” 

“Man,” Dan chuckled, “What did you do this time?”

“What makes you assume I did something?”

“Well it’s obvious did something to piss her off.” 

Lucifer sighed. “I thought I was being helpful.”

“Cheer up man.” Dan slapped Lucifer’s back. “Chloe will have calmed down by the time she gets back with the food. Come on, I’ve got everything set up in the conference room.” 

“I certainly hope so,” Lucifer said quietly as he followed behind Dan. 

“So, the victim worked for a non-profit. I didn’t see anything interesting in his financials, and his record is clean.” Dan pointed at the whiteboard as he pushed open the glass door. “And there was nothing in his past that seems to point to motive.” Dan sighed, “Everyone I’ve spoken with said this was a real tragedy.” 

Lucifer sat down and began to flip through crime scene photos. “The real tragedy here was the victim’s taste in clothing.”

“Really Lucifer? Have some respect, the guy was tortured to death.”

“Yes, speaking of, has the Medical Examiner determined which of these injuries proved fatal?”

“Not exactly, the M.E. narrowed it down to a few possibilities, but the guy’s autopsy was a mess.”

“It’s quite exciting actually,” Lucifer’s eyebrows lifted, “It’s kind of like a choose your own adventure for murder.”

Dan shook his head as he read through a file. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any weirder.” 

“Oh, relax Daniel, I’m just trying to lighten the mood.”

“Yeah whatever.” Dan rolled his eyes. “I’ll be right back. I think a left a report on my desk.”

“Well run along Daniel, it would be nice to get this case solved before you die of old age.”

Dan opened his mouth, but Lucifer had already turned his attention to something else. Instead, he exhaled as he exited through the glass door.

“Can I help you?” Dan asked an unfamiliar man who was loitering by the precinct stairs.

“I’m looking for Lucifer Morningstar.”

“Of course you are.” Dan pointed in the direction he just came from. “He’s in the conference room.” 

The man turned and strolled toward the conference room.

“You’re welcome!” Dan said to the back of the man’s head, “Whatever.” 

The man entered the conference room without knocking. “Lucifer Morningstar?” 

“The sun should be setting soon. It’s always been one on my favorite parts about living in L.A.”  
Lucifer turned around, immediately coming face to face with the man. “I’m sorry, do I know-”

The man plunged a knife into the base of Lucifer’s chest, “God told me that I had to do this.”

“My Father?” Lucifer looked down at the blood beginning to diffuse through his shirt as he gripped the handle of the knife and pulled.

He grabbed a conference chair as he tried to stay upright, but the wheels at the base of the chair only served to further destabilize him, ultimately causing him to hit his head on the edge of the table as he crashed towards the floor. 

The man sat down and silently observed Lucifer failing at each attempt to lift himself as he slipped on his expanding pool of blood.

“Sir? You can’t be in here alone.” Dan said as he walked through the doorway. “Leave it to  
Lucifer to compromise the evidence.” Dan shook his head. “Sir?” Dan recoiled just as he was about to tap the man on the shoulder. “Lucifer!” Dan ran to the doorway, “Someone call an ambulance!” 

A couple of patrol officers standing nearby rushed in.

Dan pulled the man out of the chair and pushed him towards his colleagues. “Get this guy in a holding cell.” Dan fell to his knees, “Damn it Lucifer, why’d you pull the knife out?”

“Seemed like. A good. Idea at. The time. Daniel.” 

“Yeah well, it wasn’t.”

“Where is. The detective?”

“Chloe is still getting food.”

“Are. You sure. Surely. She must. Be back.”

“She’s not, but I’m going to text her to meet us at the hospital.”

“No.” Lucifer’s eyelids fell over his eyes. “She. Can’t.” 

“Lucifer! What are you-” Dan leaned into his hands to try and stem the flow of blood. “Lucifer, wake up! Where are the paramedics?” Dan shouted over his shoulder.

“They are five minutes out.”

Time moved slowly as Dan waited for the paramedics, but not slow enough to stop Lucifer from bleeding out between his fingers. 

“How long ago was he stabbed?” The paramedics marched into the conference room.

“I’m not sure, maybe 10 minutes.”

“Take this gauze, and keep applying pressure. How long ago did he lose consciousness?”

“Maybe less than a minute after I found him.” 

The paramedics kneeled on either side of Lucifer. The taller paramedic quickly weaved her hands through Dan’s arms as she cut open Lucifer’s shirt to attach the EKG leads to his chest, while her partner secured an oxygen mask over his face. 

Without pausing they continued to pull supplies from their packs as they concentrated on stabilizing the man bleeding out beneath them.

The shorter paramedic held a catheter in front of her face. “It broke.”

“What?”

“The needle, it broke.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Just forget about it, and grab a new one.”

The paramedic’s eyes narrowed as she pulled a fresh catheter from her pack and aimed it at Lucifer’s arm. “I can’t get this one in either, could it be some kind of lot defect?”

“Doubtful. Forget about the IV right now, we need to get the bleeding under control.”

“Ok Detective,” the taller paramedic turned her head towards Dan, “I’m going to take over for you. On the count of three, one…two…three.”

The fresh gauze soon beneath the paramedic’s gloves was quickly soaked in blood. “Do you have the supplies ready?”

“Yeah.”

As the paramedic lifted her hands, exposing the hole in Lucifer’s chest, her partner immediately covered it with a dressing. 

“Here,” the taller paramedic held her hand over Lucifer’s chest once the dressing was secure, “Give me the needle, I’ll try.”

The paramedic glided the needle in with all of the ease that eluded her partner’s earlier attempts.

“What the hell?” The shorter paramedic’s brow furrowed as she attached a bag of saline to the cannula.

“Lucifer!” The bag of sandwiches dropped to Chloe’s hip.

“Ma’am, please stay back.”

“Dan, what happened?” 

“Detective?” 

“The edge of this table is cracked.” The shorter paramedic noted to her partner. “We should secure his spine in case he hit his head.” 

“Some guy asked to speak with him. When I came in here the guy was just sitting in the chair.”  
Dan streaked his hair with Lucifer’s blood. “I was only gone for a few minutes.” 

“Let’s get him on the board.”

“But I wasn’t here.” Chloe hung her fingers around the back of her neck. “Why is he hurt?”

“Cervical spine is secured.”

“Detective. You need-”

“Chloe, what are you talking about? I just told you what happened.”

“Unless-” Chloe rested her chin on her shoulder.

“Roll him on the count of three, one…two…three.”

“-To leave.”

Lucifer weakly flailed his arms as the paramedics began to bind him to the backboard. 

“Sir, you’re safe, but you need to lie still.”

Chloe pushed towards her partner. “Lucifer.” 

“Ma’am, you need to-”

“Stay back, yeah that’s not going to work for me. He’s my partner.”

Lucifer’s protests were muffled by the oxygen mask as his unfocused, half-open eyes scanned the ceiling. “Detective. You need-” 

“Shh, Lucifer,” she said gently as she ran her fingers through his hair. “Listen to me, you are going to be fine. I promise.”

“That’s. A strong. Word. Detective.”

The paramedics silently lifted Lucifer onto the stretcher. The shorter paramedic covered Lucifer with a blanket before buckling the straps over his feet and abdomen. 

Keeping in stride with the paramedics, Chloe found Lucifer’s hand under the blanket as they wheeled him out of the conference room towards the elevators.

“Dan, listen to me,” Chloe looked over her shoulder, “You need to take that knife and show it to Maze.”

“What? Why?”

“Dan, please. Just promise me you will take it to her and tell her exactly what happened.”

“Alright, I promise.”

The elevator doors closed. The four occupants were silent as the metal box transported them to the parking lot. 

Before the doors had fully opened, the paramedics started to push Lucifer’s stretcher towards the rear of the waiting ambulance.

“I’m sorry, you can’t bring food in here.” The taller paramedic turned to Chloe after Lucifer had been loaded into the ambulance.

“Huh?”

Chloe looked down at paper bag she’d been clutching and dropped it onto the pavement.  
She immediately followed the shorter paramedic into the back of the ambulance as the taller paramedic shut the doors behind them. They rode in tense silence until the monitors started to frantically beep.

“Damn it, he’s crashing.” The paramedic started to pull supplies from the cupboards over  
Lucifer. “I’m going to need to intubate.” 

“What’s happening?”

“Your partner isn’t getting enough oxygen. I am going to insert a tube to help him to breathe.”

Chloe watched with wet eyes as the paramedic glided a tube down Lucifer’s throat, knowing that Lucifer’s sole claim to life now laid with the opening and closing of the paramedic’s fist.


	2. Chapter 2

“Forty-three-year-old male. Single stab wound to the chest with possible head injury. Briefly conscious at the scene. Intubated during transport. GCS Three. BP 80/40.”

The ER doctor gripped the upper left side of the backboard, “Transfer on my count, one…two…three.” 

Chloe stood a few meters away from her partner. Lucifer was covered in hands. She watched as the doctor cut into Lucifer’s chest and forced a tube through the incision. Chloe clutched the doorway as the tube immediately filled with blood.

“Alright, let’s get him to CT.”

Chloe tried to follow but a nurse stepped in front of her to and directed her to a set of nearby chairs. She looked around the ER as she sat down, drumming her hands on her knees. Chloe’s head sunk to her chest when she realized that Lucifer’s brother was somewhere blissfully ignorant of the everything that was happening. 

Chloe powered through an amalgam of emotions as she took out her phone. Seconds after hitting send, her hair was scattered across her face.

“What happened?”

“Amenadiel,” Chloe rose from her seat, “We were working on a case. And I went to get food and Dan went to grab something and Lucifer was alone in the conference room and-” Chloe cradled her elbows over her chest, “Lucifer was attacked.”

“But if you weren’t near Lucifer, then why is he here?”

“I don’t think that the knife was an average knife.”

“Chloe, if what you’re implying is true, then a human somehow got ahold of a celestial weapon. How would that even be possible?”

“I don’t know, Dan is going to show the knife to Maze.”

“Let’s hope that you’re wrong. If it is a celestial weapon then human medicine isn’t going to be able to save Lucifer.”

Chloe’s eyes narrowed as she opened her mouth.

“You’re Lucifer Morningstar’s partner, correct?” A nurse came up behind Chloe.

“Yes.”

“The doctor asked me to tell you that he’s been taken into surgery.”

“Is he going to be okay?”

“I don’t have any more information than that. The nurses in the surgical waiting area may have more information.”

“Where is that?”

“The sixth floor.”

“Thank you,” Chloe said as she and Amenadiel strode towards the elevators. 

Chloe and Amenadiel rode up in silence. The doors opened to a row of empty chairs that were located to the left of the nurses’ station. 

“Hi,” Chloe said as she approached the sole nurse behind the desk, “My partner was just taken into surgery, a nurse in the ER said that you might be able to give me some more information on his status?”

“Name?”

“Lucifer. Lucifer Morningstar.”

The nurse lifted one eyebrow, “Like the devil?”

“Yes, um, like the devil.”

The nurse’s finger flew across the keyboard as her eyes focused on the adjacent screen, “Are you his wife?”

“No. But as I said, he’s my partner, we’ve worked together for years.”

“I can only discuss his condition with family.”

Amenadiel stepped forward, “He’s my brother.”

“Ok then,” the nurse shifted her gaze to Amenadiel, “According to the system, your brother is in surgery.”

Chloe sighed, “We already know that.”

The nurse signed, “That’s all the information I have available right now. But I’ll send word to the surgical team that you are here so that they can provide you with a more detailed update once Mr. Morningstar is out of surgery. Meanwhile,” the nurse placed a clipboard on the desk, “It would help if you could fill out this paperwork so that we can complete the admission process.”

Amenadiel stared at the stack of papers wedged between the clip. “What is all this?” His eyes widening as he began to flip through the pages.

“It’s just standard hospital paperwork.” Chloe said gently as she guided him away from desk to the nearby chairs.

Amenadiel sat quietly clutching the clipboard on either side.

“Let’s do it together,” Chloe said as she removed the clipboard from Amenadiel’s grip, “Ok, name, that’s easy, Lucifer Morningstar. Next is date of birth, now I remember-”

“Lucifer doesn’t have one.”

“What?”

“Lucifer doesn’t have a birthday, none of us do.”

“Huh, that’s interesting, I guess. Well when he moved to LA someone gave him a legal identity.  
A birth date would have been included in that, I can just text Ella and have her look it up,” Chloe said as she typed the message.

Chloe silently filled in the address for Lux.

“I’m gonna guess that he doesn’t have health insurance.”

“What is health insurance?”

“It’s- Never mind, it’s not important in Lucifer’s case.”

“Ok medical history, does Lucifer have any allergies?”

“Allergies? Like the blades forged in the bowels of Hell?”

“No… No, I think they mean like does his tongue swell when he eats peanut butter?”

“Oh, then no, no allergies.”

“Ok, has he ever had any prior surgeries?”

“He cut off his wings, does that count?”

“He what!” Chloe closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, “He what? When?”

“Well I guess the first time, Maze actually cut them off.”

“The first time?” Chloe’s head fell into her hand, “The stolen storage container…”

“The other times he did it himself. But Linda convinced him to stop. Somehow.”

Chloe rubbed the heels of her palms into her forehead. “Oh my God.”

“You’re right, he was trying to piss off our Father.”

“Um, let’s just skip this section for now.” Chloe turned the page, “’History of smoking?’ Yes.” Chloe turned to Amenadiel, “How long has Lucifer smoked?” 

“Tobacco? Uh since about 6000 BC.”

“Wow, um, that long?” Chloe bobbed her head. “You know I think for this we should just put like ten years.

“’Does the patient drink?’ Yes. ‘How Often?’” 

“Constantly, throughout the day,” Amenadiel nodded his head.

“I can’t write that! Um let’s just say every evening after dinner. That isn’t a total lie, it just isn’t the whole truth.”

“You learned that from Lucifer, didn’t you?”

“Yup. Ok, does the patient abuse drugs for recreational purposes?” Chloe sighed.

“Are we going to write another partial truth here?”

“Yup.”

Chloe and Amenadiel stumbled their way through the rest of the admission paperwork. After handing it back to the nurse at the desk Amenadiel paced the small waiting area.

“Family of Lucifer Morningstar?”

Amenadiel all but pounced on the doctor.

“How is my brother?”

“Your brother?”

“Yes, yes, my brother.”

“I’m sorry sir, but I need to speak with Mr. Morningstar’s biological family.”

“I am his biological family,” Amenadiel said as he rubbed his temples. “I don’t have time for this, you have to believe me.”

“Doctor,” Chloe flashed her badge as she rose from her seat, “Amenadiel is Lucifer’s brother and Lucifer is my partner. Please, just- Is he going to be okay?”

The doctor clasped his hands in front of his waist, “Mr. Morningstar is out of surgery and in recovery, but he lost a lot of blood. However, right now I am more concerned with the fragment that broke off when he was stabbed. We saw it on his CT scan and had hoped to be able to remove it, but it is very close to his spine and removing it at this point in time will likely do more harm than good.”

Amenadiel leaned toward the doctor, “No. You have to remove it. It is going to kill him.”

“Sir, Amenadiel is it? It isn’t uncommon to leave foreign objects in following a trauma. Right now, the best prognosis for your brother is to leave the fragment in. If we try to remove it, there is a high chance that your brother will be paralyzed, assuming that he even survives the surgery. We will continue to monitor him, and if his condition changes then we will reevaluate.”

“But Doctor, you have to understand.” Amenadiel rubbed his fists into his eyes, “It is absolutely necessary.”

“I disagree. But you are welcome to seek a second opinion. Regardless, a nurse will come and get you when your brother is out of recovery.”

…

Chloe and Amenadiel walked in silence to Lucifer’s room, pausing in the doorway as they processed the sight in front of them. Lucifer was quiet. And painfully still. He looked small in the shadows of the dark room. Chloe filled her lungs with air, pushing it out with each step she took towards Lucifer. 

All that covered him was a blanket that had been pulled up to his waist and two slightly bloody bandages, one of which had a blood-filled tube protruding from it. A half full unit of blood hung next to a fresh bag of saline. The wires stuck to his chest, the pulse oximeter clipped to his finger, and the blood pressure cuff wrapped around his arm were relentlessly feeding information to the monitor that displayed his vital signs. 

Chloe watched as Lucifer’s chest mechanically rose and fell in unnaturally even intervals. She pulled the blanket further up his chest before sitting in the chair beside his bed. After sandwiching Lucifer’s hand between hers as she looked to Amenadiel with a forced smile. 

Amenadiel cleared his throat. “How is he supposed to breathe with that tube in his mouth?” 

“He can’t breathe right now Amenadiel. Not on his own. The tube is connected to a machine that is breathing for him.” 

“How long?”

“What?”

“How long until he can breathe on his own?”

“I don’t know Amenadiel.” Chloe’s gaze remained fixated on Lucifer. “I’m not a doctor.”

Amenadiel remained in the doorway, unable to face the reality that came with each potential step. 

“I bet you that once he wakes up, he is going to start complaining about everything. That the sheets don’t have a high enough thread count. That the hospital gown does nothing for his coloring. That the food is so bad, he wouldn’t even torture people in He-”

“He’s not going to wake up Chloe!” The light drained from Chloe’s eyes, “How can you not understand he is never getting better. Lucifer is the Devil. He was stabbed with a celestial weapon. A piece of which is still inside him. Only divinity can heal him. Not your human medicine.” 

Before Chloe could open her mouth, Amenadiel was gone. 

…

Chloe sat in silence as the sun rose behind her. The sound of hurried footsteps forcing her back to reality as Maze stormed through the doorway.

“Lucifer?” Maze propelled her hand across his face, “Lucifer!” 

“Maze,” Chloe stood up from her chair, “What are you doing!”

“Lucifer!” Maze said as she slapped him again.

“Maze, stop!”

“Damnit Lucifer, wake up! This isn’t funny!” Maze raised her hand again just as Chloe grabbed both her wrists.

“Maze. Stop.” Chloe pulled Maze’s wrists down to her waist, “Come on Maze, look at me.”

“Let go of me Decker.” Maze said through wet eyes and clenched teeth, “Now.”

Chloe locked eyes with her friend, “I can’t do that Maze.” 

Maze’s shoulders sagged. “I was hunting a bounty in the desert all night, I just got cell service a couple hours ago,” Maze paused as she toward her oldest friend, “Why is there a tube down his throat?” 

“He’s really hurt Maze, but it’s Lucifer, he always gets better. I don’t care what Amenadiel says.”

“Amenadiel was here?”

“Yeah, he left-”

“He left!”

“He was really hurting Maze. I think he just needed some air. But he’ll be back.”

Maze’s gaze returned to Lucifer’s still form, “Dan showed me the knife, but I’ve never seen anything like before. I don’t understand how it wound up here. Much less how some stupid human got it.”

“Well we are going to figure it out, and while we do that Lucifer is going to get better.”

“That’s not how it works Decker. Only divinity-” Maze abruptly turned around and started walking towards the door.

“Maze? Maze, where are you going?

“To pluck some divinity from the Universe’s angstiest angel.”

“Ok then.”

Chloe shook her head as she sat back down in the chair next to Lucifer and let exhaustion consume her.

“Decker! Wake up!” Chloe’s cheek stung as she opened her eyes.

“I don’t think that was necessary Maze.”

“Decker’s not gonna want to miss this.”

“Miss what?”

“Divinity!”

“Maze, what are you talking about?”

“This!”

“A feather?”

“Ah but this is not just any old feather Decker, this was plucked from the wings of an angel.”

“What makes you think that this is going to work?”

“Because Amenadiel here is living proof. You see when your corrupt cop friend stabbed Amenadiel with one of my demon blades, I used the last feather from Lucifer’s wings to heal the wound. It was actually pretty epic, the feather started glowing and then there was this big burst of light and-”

Amenadiel smiled, “It didn’t even leave a scar.”

“Ok. Let’s do it!” 

Chloe gently pulled the blanket down far enough to reveal the red-streaked gauze in the middle of his chest. Maze peeled back the bandage and placed the feather over the sutures, but her grin in anticipation quickly turned into a frown of frustration. 

“How long is this supposed to take? Shouldn’t we be seeing a lot of light?” Chloe said to Amenadiel.

Maze adjusted the feather slightly. Again. And again.

“I don’t understand,” Amenadiel looked to Maze, “Why isn’t it working?”

“I- I don’t know.” Maze looked up at Chloe, “Maybe it’s cause you’re here.” 

“It’s not Chloe’s fault Maze.”

“Well then maybe your wings aren’t powerful enough. If we could just get sleeping beauty here to wake up, then we could use one of his-”

“No.”

“No? What do you mean ‘No?’ His feather worked before.”

“Then it was a fluke. A one-off. I can’t believe I let you convince me-”

“Oh, I convinced you? You’re the one who nearly flew off without me when I reminded you where we could get a little piece of divinity.”

“It’s time that we accept reality. And the reality is-”

“No! Don’t you dare say it!” Maze leaned into Amenadiel’s face, “Lucifer would never give up on you, how dare you give up on him!”

Suddenly Amenadiel had Maze against a wall, his hand around her throat.

“You dare speak to me like that? You seem to have forgotten your place during your time here on Earth. Lucifer should have yanked your leash years ago.”

“Amenadiel!” Chloe tried to insert herself between them, “Stop! This isn’t you.” 

“You’re wrong Decker, Amenadiel is finally showing his true self,” Maze said with a dark smile as she brandished a knife to his abdomen. “This is the angel who did nothing as his Lucifer was cast out. This is God’s first angel, who spent millennia putting his little brother down so that he could feel better about his pathetic self.”

“Maze… Shut up,” Chloe said as a gust of air blew her hair across her face.

Maze marched towards the door. “Whatever.” 

“Maze? Maze! Where are you going?”

“To get my knives.”

Chloe returned to her chair. She took Lucifer’s hands between hers, “I really hope you heard that, cause we all need you to wake up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> World Health Organization. (n.d.). The History of Tobacco. https://www.who.int/tobacco/en/atlas2.pdf


	3. Chapter 3

Linda lingered in the doorway, “How is he?”

“Not good,” Chloe’s gaze fell to Lucifer as she squeezed his hand. “And according to Amenadiel, Lucifer needs divinity not doctors."

Linda looked around the room. “Where is Amenadiel?” 

“I don’t know. He and Maze got into it a little while ago.”

Linda nodded her head as she made eye contact with Chloe, “And how are you doing?"

“I’m scared Linda. I’m really scared.”

Linda pulled a chair beside Chloe and quietly took her hand. 

…

“Maze,” Linda said as she got up and opened her arms.

“No.” Maze pushed Linda away. “I need to stay focused.” 

“Maze?”

“I’m here to protect Lucifer. I don’t have time for your feelings.”

“My feelings? Maze, what about your feelings?”

“I don’t have feelings, not anymore.”

“Maze,” concern grew in Linda’s voice, “You can’t just turn feelings off like they’re a light bulb.” 

Maze scoffed. “I’m a demon, I can do whatever I want.”

“Maze.”

“No Linda! Don’t ‘Maze’ me. Feelings are a distraction. For five years I kept Lucifer safe in this hellhole and then you all forced your way into our lives with your feelings.” 

Chloe stood from her chair. “That’s not fair Maze.” 

Linda put her hand on Chloe’s arm. “Maze, we’ve talked about this. I know that feelings are hard, but-”

“No!” Maze lodged her knife into a table, “I should have been there!” Maze’s eyes softened as they fell on Lucifer. “If I had been there, then Lucifer wouldn’t be here.”

“Maze, Lucifer wouldn’t want-”

“Don’t you dare Decker!” Maze pulled the knife from the table and pointed it at Chloe. “I have known Lucifer far, far longer than you.”

Chloe held her hands up. “You’re right Maze.” 

“Is everything alright in here?” A nurse stood in the doorway, his eyes focusing on Maze,   
“Ma’am you can’t bring weapons in here.”

Maze growled as she started to advance towards the nurse.

Chloe leapt into Maze’s path. “The is Mr. Morningstar’s personal bodyguard.”

“His bodyguard?”

“Yes,” Chloe said as she flashed her badge.

“The police can’t provide adequate protection?”

Maze opened her mouth, but Chloe had already begun to speak, “Due to Mr. Morningstar’s high profile, Miss Smith is working with us to ensure that her client is adequately protected.”

The nurse nodded, hesitantly looking at Maze once more before he exited the room.

Chloe let out a deep breath as she and Linda returned to their chairs. Maze dropped her bag in the corner as she leaned against the wall, silently spinning her blades through her fingers.

…

“So, what, he needs a transfusion?” Chloe stood opposite the doctor in the hallway.

“Yes, but it’s not that simple. We gave your partner several blood transfusions when he was first admitted, however his lab work shows that he is suffering from hemolytic transfusion reaction. Essentially his body is attacking the blood that we are giving him.”

“So he needs different blood?”

“Yes, but our pathology department is having a difficult time determining what type of blood we can give him. It seems that your partner’s blood contains a very rare antigen, which is what is causing him to reject blood from the average donor.”

“What happens if he doesn’t get more blood?”

“There are other treatments we can give him in the meantime, but his prognosis will get bleaker the longer he goes without a transfusion.”

…

“How is he?”

“Amenadiel!” Linda jumped up from her chair. “Where did you go?”

“I went to the Silver City. I was hoping that our Father would help. Or that my siblings might know of some solution.”

Chloe’s eyes widened as she looked to Amenadiel, “And?”

“My father never responded. And my siblings- You have to understand, many of them still haven’t forgiven Lucifer for staging the rebellion.” Amenadiel’s gaze drifted to the floor,   
“Among other things,” his voice trailing off.

Maze rolled her eyes, “Well that’s a shocker.”

Amenadiel’s head spun towards Maze, “Are you just going to play with your knives or are you going to do something helpful for once?”

“Maze. Amenadiel. Stop.” Linda positioned herself between them. “We all care about Lucifer. And we are all scared, but we cannot let our pain tear us apart right now.”

“Shut up Linda!”

“Don’t speak to her like that!”

“You’re not in charge of me!”

“Enough! Maze go back to your corner. Amenadiel take my seat and spend some time with your brother. Chloe?” Linda sighed as Chloe’s head shot up, “Never mind, you are fine right where you are.” Linda looked at her watch, “I have to go pick up Charlie, I’ll be back later.”

Soon after Linda’s departure the tense armistice was interrupted by pulsations emanating from Chloe’s pocket.

Chloe stood up and walked out into the hallway. “Hey Dan, what’s up?” 

“Ella is still processing the knife, but she’s having a hard time figuring where it came from. All she’s been able to tell me is that the knife is super old. She did find some strange markings on it, but she hasn’t been able to figure out what they mean.”

“Can you send me pictures of the markings? Maze and Amenadiel are here with me.”

“Yeah sure. The markings were initially obscured by all the blood so Maze might know more   
now that the knife has been cleaned up.”

Chloe braced herself against the wall as she held her face in her hand. “What about the suspect? Has he said anything?”

“You’re not gonna believe it.”

“Try me.”

“He said that God told him to stab Lucifer.”

Chloe’s neck stiffened. “What?”

“Yeah, the guy obviously has a few screws loose. I mean I interrogated him for hours, but he kept saying the same thing. For weeks, ‘God’ has been telling him to stab Lucifer. He tried to ignore him but he couldn’t take the voices anymore so he finally agreed. And once he did that knife just appeared. It’s crazy, but the guy really seemed to believe it.”

“Uh huh, is the guy a religious fanatic?”

“No, as far as I can tell he is just your average guy. He has a few parking tickets, but other than that he’s clean. The weird thing is that I can’t find any connection between him and Lucifer. The guy lives in Oregon. And as far as I can tell this is his first trip to L.A. He was only here for a few hours before he showed up at the precinct.”

Chloe sighed, “Ok Dan, thanks for the info.”

“How’s Lucifer doing?”

“Not good.” Chloe’s voice quivered, “He still hasn’t woken up and now he has a fever.”

“He’s gonna be okay Chloe. Lucifer always manages to pull through.”

Chloe nodded, “Yeah, that’s what I keep telling myself.” 

“I’m sending you those pictures right now, hopefully you’ll have better luck.”

“Alright Dan, thanks.”

Chloe loitered in the hall, closing her eyes she took several deep breaths. 

Her concentration was unceremoniously broken by vibrations stemming from her palm. As Chloe opened Dan’s email and began scrutinizing the pictures, her eyes were immediately drawn to the markings on the knife.

“Hey Amenadiel? Maze?” Chloe crossed over the doorway. “Do these markings make any sense to either of you?”

“It’s ancient Hebrew.” Amenadiel took Chloe’s phone from her hand, “Where did you get this?

“That’s the knife the crazy guy used to stab Lucifer.” Maze turned to Chloe, “I don’t remember seeing these before.”

“Dan said they were concealed by the blood.” Chloe sighed, “Do either of you understand what they mean?”

“It’s been millennia since I studied it.” Amenadiel unfurled his wings, “But I remember seeing a book in a Lucifer’s library that might help.”

A gust of wind diffused through the room. “Yeah, it’d probably help if you brought a copy of the markings with you!” Maze shouted out the window.

“He’ll be back,” Chloe said.

Maze returned to the couch. “Whatever.” 

“Got it.” Amenadiel held the book up.

Maze leapt up, “Well what does it say?”

“I don’t know yet Mazikeen, it’s going to take time for me to translate.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Maze lowered herself back onto the couch. “Get to it.”

Amenadiel glared at Maze as he returned to the seat that Linda had assigned him earlier.   
The room soon fell into an intense silence that was rhythmically interrupted by the machines that bound Lucifer to life as Amenadiel blocked out the modern world surrounding him and immersed himself in the ancient book.

…

Stars were starting to populate the sky when Amenadiel raised his head. “I got it.” Amenadiel solemnly leaned back in his chair. “I know what it means.”

Maze walked to the foot of Lucifer’s bed. “Well?”

Amenadiel sighed as he grimly took Lucifer’s hand between his, “It’s a prophecy,” he said bowing his head. “The death of light will bring understanding.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harewood, J. and Master, S. R. (2019, June 4). Hemolytic Transfusion Reaction. NCBI.  
> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448158/


	4. Chapter 4

“Seriously!” Maze hurled her knife into the wall. “Another prophecy? The last one ended with Lucifer babysitting my siblings. Now this one is going to end with his death?”

“I don’t get it.” Chloe looked at Amenadiel. “Why do you think this prophecy is about Lucifer’s death?” 

“It says the ‘death of light,” Maze said flexing her fingers in the air. “Duh.”

“But he’s the Devil.” Chloe’s eyes drifted to Lucifer, “Also known as the Prince of Darkness.”

“But Chloe, before all that he was-” Amenadiel sighed, “And still is, an angel.”

“I know.” 

“Did you also know that our parents call him the Light-bringer?”

“So? I call Trixie monkey, that doesn’t mean she jumps on the bed and eats bananas.”

“He literally ignited the flaming sword.” Maze yanked her knife out of the wall. “No one else has ever been known to do that. Not even Amenadiel.”

“To be fair, I never had the chance since Lucifer gave most of it to our Mother as a parting gift.” 

“I still can’t believe he gave her own universe. That pyscho-bitch got better than she deserved.” 

“Wait, what?” Chloe’s eyes narrowed. “Where was I during all this?”

Amenadiel turned to Chloe. “I believe that Lucifer said you were on the pier.”

“The pier?” Chloe squeezed her eyes shut as she shook her head. “All the time I’ve spent with him, and he is still a stranger.”

“Chloe,” Amenadiel said gently, “It’s not that simple.”

“Yeah Amenadiel, it is.” Chloe sighed, “But it doesn’t matter right now.” Chloe wrapped her fingers around Lucifer’s hand, “We beat a prophecy before, there’s no reason we can’t do it again.”

…

“You want to do what exactly?” Amenadiel said as he rubbed his eyes.

“We want to give his lungs more support. His injuries are very severe, and our hope is that this will give his body more time to heal.

“By putting an echo through him?”

“ECMO. We would insert two cannulas. One would remove the blood from his body and pump it through a machine that would oxygenate it, and the second would return the blood to his body. Essentially it would take over the work that his lungs normally do, so that they can have a chance to heal.”

“I don’t know.”

“Amenadiel, we need more time,” Chloe said quietly as she turned her head to him.

“Will it cause him pain?”

“No, we will give him medication to keep him comfortable.”

“Fine.” Amenadiel looked up from the floor. “You have my permission.”

…

“I don’t understand, my brother was stabbed in his lung, but now it’s his kidneys that are failing?”

“Yes, it is a known side effect from the ECMO.”

“So that machine you put him on to make him better is actually making him sicker, but you’re asking my permission to put him on another machine? Do you humans realize how stupid that sounds?”

“Amenadiel,” Chloe said as she softly tried to put her hand on his shoulder.

“Sir, your brother came in with serious injuries, we are trying our best, but there is only so much that we can do.”

“You are trying your best? If you were trying your best, then you would have removed the fragment like I told you to.”

“Amenadiel, you need to calm down.”

“How Chloe? None of what we do will matter if they don’t remove that fragment.”

“Sir as I have told you, the fragment is located in a very dangerous spot. Removing it would likely paralyze your brother. And that’s assuming he survives the surgery.” The doctor held out a clipboard. “I can only imagine how hard it is to see your brother attached to so many machines, but time is not on our side, we need your permission.” 

“Fine.” Amenadiel scribbled on the line at the bottom of the forms. “It’s not like our Father is doing anything,” he said as he shoved the clipboard into the doctor’s hands and stormed down the hall.

“Doctor,” Chloe hugged her elbows across her waist. “Amenadiel isn’t usually like this. You have to understand, he and Lucifer had a very, um, insular upbringing. Amenadiel has always been slow to embrace life as you and I know it. And Lucifer is usually the one that helps him make sense of it.”

The doctor nodded before turning around and walking off.

… 

A week after the stabbing, Lucifer was little more than a warm corpse drowning in tubes and wires. The doctors had finally conceded that the fragment was making Lucifer sicker and would need to be removed, despite the risks that would be brought about by the surgery. 

Meanwhile, Chloe had run every internet search she could think of. Maze and Linda had poured over every book in Lucifer’s library. And Amenadiel tapped every potential source in the Silver City. But further knowledge about the prophecy eluded them all.

…

Chloe looked up to see Ella standing in the doorway of the waiting room. “Hey Ella.” She said as she rose from her seat between Amenadiel and Linda.

“Chloe, hey!” Ella wrapped her arms around Chloe her arms around Chloe, “It’s going to be okay. Lucifer is going to make it through this surgery and he’ll be back to contaminating evidence in no time.”

“Sure he will.” 

“I brought you something.” Ella pulled a small object from her pocket and placed it in Chloe’s hand. “I think Lucifer would want you to hold onto it for him. And since the guy is taking a plea deal, I was able to pull some strings and get it released from evidence early.”

Chloe closed her fingers around the ring. “Thanks Ella.”

Ella looked between the opposing walls of the waiting room. “So, is there a reason that you all are sitting apart?”

“Amenadiel and Maze’s way of coping seems to be taking their fears out on each other.”

“Right.” Ella leaned in, “Where should I sit?”

“I think Dan could use an ally. Maze has been especially intense lately.”

Chloe returned to her seat beside Amenadiel, “Any word from your father?” 

“No.”

“Well maybe once this fragment is out, Lucifer will finally be able to heal.”

Amenadiel sighed and buried his face in his hands. “I told you Chloe, only divinity can heal Lucifer. Especially when it is our Father’s will.”

“What are you talking about? You don’t actually believe that your Father sent that man after Lucifer.” 

“I thought Luci had made peace with our Father, but I’ve thought about it and truth be told, prophecies are how our Father communicates with his creations.”

“No. There has to be another explanation.”

“Chloe,” Amenadiel said near irascibly, “It’s the only explanation that makes sense, how else would that human have gotten that knife?”

“No.” Chloe shook her head. “No, you’re wrong. Lucifer is his son.”

“I was wrong to think that we could circumvent the prophecy. Even with everything the doctors the doctors are doing, none of it will matter if it goes against our Father’s will.”

“You don’t believe that,” Chloe stiffened. “I know you still have hope. You were the one arguing for Lucifer to have this surgery.”

Amenadiel closed his eyes as his diaphragm expelled the air from his lungs. “Any hope that I may have is false. And false hope is nothing more than denial.”

“Amenadiel, you-”

“Ray-Ray?” Ella was standing in the middle in the waiting room.

Amenadiel’s eyes focused to the right of Ella. “Azrael?”

Chloe turned her head to wear Ella was standing. “Amenadiel, who are you talking to?”

“Azrael, what are you doing here?”

“No.” With knives protruding from both hands Maze lunged toward Azrael. “No! You can’t take him!”

“Maze, stop!” Amenadiel and Ella shouted simultaneously.

A faint burst of wind diffused through the room. “Lower your weapons Mazikeen.”

“Remiel? What are you doing here?” Amenadiel said.

“Azrael won’t shut up about our whore of a brother.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you’re here.”

“I needed a break from Heaven. Everyone has been on edge since you delivered the news of Lucifer’s impending demise.”

“Ray-Ray? What’s going on? Why can Amenadiel see you?”

“Ella, who are you talking to?” Dan stood from his seat.

“No one?”

“Azrael, why can that human see you?”

“Ella,” Azrael turned to her longtime friend. “I um- I haven’t exactly been honest with you. I’m not really a ghost, you see, I’m an angel.”

Remiel erupted into a fit of laughter. “Wait a second, you, the Angel of Death, have been masquerading as a ghost to your human pet?”

Ella’s hands flew up in front of her chest as she took a few steps back. “Hold up, Angel of Death?”

“Ella wait! I can explain.”

“Well I don’t want to hear it.”

Chloe rose from her seat. “Amenadiel, who are these, um, people?”

“Azrael and Remiel are my sisters. And if you’ll excuse us, I need to speak with them privately.” Amenadiel placed a hand on each of his sister’s shoulders and guided them out of the waiting room.

Chloe put her hand on Ella’s back. “Are you okay?” 

“No. I’m gonna go grab some air.” 

…

Ella paced around hospital courtyard before finally settling on a bench, cradling her arms over her waist as she watched people pass in and out of her line of sight. 

“Oh my God.” Ella abruptly jumped off the bench. “Lucifer!” she said as she rushed to embrace the man standing a few meters away in a hug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> White, A. and Fan, E. (2016). What is ECMO? Am J Respir Crit Care Med, 193, 9-10.  
> https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/what-is-ecmo.pdf 
> 
> Kleypas, D. A. and Badiye, A. (2020, May 23). Evidence Collection. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441852/


	5. Chapter 5

“Lucifer what are you doing here? How is this possible? You’re supposed to be in surgery.”

The man pushed Ella away. “Who are you?” 

“Lucifer? It’s me, Ella.” she said slowly. “Wait a second. Wait happen to your accent? And your hair? Ella tugged at a lock that had fallen out of place. “Did you get a perm? 

“I’m Lucifer’s brother.” The man rolled his eyes as he batted Ella’s hand away from his face.   
“Michael.” 

Ella’s brow furrowed. “Lucifer’s never mentioned you before.”

“Well we’re a bit estranged at the moment. But I got word that he is hurt, so here I am.” Michael tilted his head, “Do you happen to know where I can find him?”

“Maybe?”

“Wonderful!” Michael clasped his hands in front of his chest. “Then you can take me to him.”

“I don’t know,” Ella’s voice trailed off.

“Come on, we are obviously related.” Michael held his hands on either side of his face. “Now make yourself useful and lead me to my brother.”

Ella sighed. “Follow me.”

Ella kept her eyes focused on Michael as they journeyed in silence back to the waiting room.

“Lucifer?” Chloe said as she stood up and walked over and wrapped her hands around Michael’s face, “How- How is this possible?”

“Nice to see you again Chloe.”

Chloe’s hands flew parallel to her waist as she took several steps back. “Michael.” 

“Michael?” Amenadiel stood in the corner of waiting room with his sisters. “What are you doing here?” 

“I had to see it for myself. Luci is finally dying, Dad’s not gonna bail him out this time.”

“That’s sick.” Maze glared at Michael. “Even for you.” 

“Chloe who is this?” Dan said.

“Michael is Lucifer’s twin.”

“God, there’s two of him?” Dan ran his hands over his hair as he looked to Amenadiel, “How many siblings do you guys have exactly?”

“A lot.” 

Remiel stood with her arms crossed over her chest. “Haven’t you ever read the bible human?” 

“Yeah back in like Sunday school.” Dan chuckled. “But I don’t really believe in that stuff.” 

“That stuff?” The muscles in Remiel’s back tightened. “You mean this?” 

“Remy! Stop!” Amenadiel tried to grab his sister’s wings before they were fully unfurled. “What are you doing?”

“I’m only doing what you and Lucifer have done, dear brother, showing these stupid humans proof of the divine.”

“Remiel,” Amenadiel’s voice deepened, “Put your wings away. Now.”

Remiel furled her wings. “Whatever.” 

“She has wings.” Dan’s breathe quickened. “She has wings. She has wings because she is an angel? Oh my God.” Dan leaned back. “Oh my God. God. And Amenadiel. If you’re her brother then you have wings. Because you’re both angels. And Lucifer- Oh my God, Lucifer is the Devil. Like the actual Devil.”

“I’ve hugged the Devil?” Ella said distantly as she sat down next to Dan.

“Chloe?” Dan stood up again, “Did you know? Of course you didn’t know, you wouldn’t let our daughter near him. Not if you knew.”

Chloe’s shoulders sagged as she looked into her ex’s eyes. “I knew Dan. I’ve known for a while now.”

“You knew? And you didn’t tell me. And- And you let him near Trixie? What were you thinking?”

“Lucifer is good Dan.”

“Lucifer is good?” Dan shook his head and pointed his finger at Chloe. “I can’t believe you are literally defending the Devil.” 

“He’s never lied Dan. Not about being the Devil, not about anything.”

“And I have. That’s what you’re saying right?”

“Dan, no-”

“You know what, that’s it, I’m done.” Dan said as he turned and stormed out of the waiting room.

“So, if Lucifer is the devil, that means that you are actually a demon,” Ella looked up to Maze.  
Maze sat beside Ella. “Yup.” 

Before anyone could say anything, the doctor walked through the doorway and over to Amenadiel. 

Chloe strode over the doctor, “How is he?”

“He is out of surgery. But as we feared, removing the fragment caused swelling around his spinal cord. Unfortunately it also caused a significant amount of hemorrhaging. We were able to get it under control, but he still lost a lot of blood. Ordinarily we’d give him a blood transfusion, but our Pathology Department still haven’t been able to determine a suitable donor match.”

“So, what now? Amenadiel stood alongside Chloe.

“Without a transfusion, his prognosis is grim. We are treating him with other alternatives to try and replace his blood, but ultimately-” Michael stepped into the doctor’s line of sight. “I’m sorry, who are you?” 

Chloe turned her head to where Michael was standing. “Michael is Lucifer’s twin brother,” her voice trailing off slightly. 

“I wasn’t aware that Mr. Morningstar had a twin. We’d need to run some tests, but there is a good chance that your blood will match your brother’s.”

Amenadiel rested his hands on his hips. “Michael will donate.” 

“What? No. Absolutely not.”

“Michael, he needs your blood.”

“We can’t force you to donate, but I do urge you to think about it. And quickly,” the doctor said before exiting the waiting room.

“Michael, I don’t understand, why won’t you help our brother?”

“Because it’s pointless.” 

Amenadiel’s eyes narrowed, “How can you turn your back on him like this?”

“I’m just being realistic brother. Luci was dead the moment that human stabbed him. My blood won’t change his fate.”

“You don’t know that!”

“Back off Amenadiel.” Remiel approached her brothers. “Michael is right.” 

“No.” Amenadiel grabbed Michael’s shirt in his fists and threw him against the wall. “I am not giving up our brother!” 

“Finally.” Maze smiled as she gripped her knives between her fingers.

“No!” Azrael threw herself into Maze’s path.

“I’m not going to kill him.” Maze tilted her head. “I’m just going to help him donate.”

“Amenadiel,” Azrael looked over her shoulder, “Help me.”

“No.”

“No?” The visiting angels said in near unison.

“You’re his brother too.” Remiel grabbed Amenadiel’s shoulder. “Just give him your blood.”

Amenadiel shook his head. “Only Michael came from the same parts of the Universe as Lucifer, which is why only Michael’s blood will be a match.”

“I don’t understand brother.” Remiel said as she tried force herself between Amenadiel and Michael, “Since when do you care so much about Lucifer?”

“He’s our brother!”

“And have you forgotten about our other brother? Uriel? The brother Lucifer killed with Azrael’s blade!”

“Uriel didn’t give him a choice. He was going to kill Chloe. And then he was going to kill Mom.”

“No. Uriel would never defy Father like that.” 

“He’d already tried. Lucifer did what he had to do.”

“No!” Remiel’s brow furrowed. “Lucifer did what he wanted to do, just like he always does.” 

“How can you believe that?”

“How can you defend him?” 

“Remy,” Amenadiel’s voice softened as he turned his head towards his sister, “Killing Uriel is Lucifer’s Hell.” 

“Then it’s time for his punishment to begin.” Remiel pulled Amenadiel’s fists from Michael’s chest. “Come Azrael, Michael.”

Amenadiel unfurled his wings, “Michael,” Amenadiel grabbed his brother’s wrist, “You’re not going anywhere until you give Lucifer your blood.”

Michael unfurled his ebony wings. “Make me.”

Before the humans could say anything, all of the angels had vanished.

Ella stood frozen in her seat, “What just happened?”

“The short version?” Linda placed her hand on Ella’s knee, “Divinity is real and just as dysfunctional as the rest of us.”

“Maze,” Chloe’s eyes widened, “What were they talking about?” 

Maze secured her knives in her fists as she returned to her seat. “Just some stupid family drama.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starr, D. B. (2013, October 24). Blood Types. The Tech Interactive.  
> https://genetics.thetech.org/ask-a-geneticist/twins-different-blood-types


	6. Chapter 6

“Yield, brother!” Amenadiel held a blade to Michael’s throat.

“Or what?” Michael’s chest rose and fell rapidly. “You’ll bestow the same fate on me that Lucifer did for Uriel?” 

“Amenadiel, stop!” Remiel said as she struggled to get up. “Azrael, stop him!”

“No.” Azrael’s shoulder’s sagged as she looked to each of her siblings. “Amenadiel is right.”

Michael looked to his sister before he lowered his head. “Fine. I yield.” Michael said, no longer struggling against Amenadiel. “Now get off of me.”

“You’ll give Lucifer your blood?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.” Amenadiel reached out his hand and pulled his brother up.

“I still don’t understand brother.” Remiel stood opposite Amenadiel, rubble from the fight filling the space between them. “How could you allow Lucifer to corrupt you? The woman in the garden made sense. She is human. But you are an angel. The first angel.” 

“Lucifer didn’t corrupt me Remiel. All he is did was show me that life, all life, is complicated and messy. But that is what makes it so fulfilling.”

Remiel squeezed her eyes shut as she tucked her chin into her chest. “I’ll miss you brother. I can hope that one day you can find your way back.” Remiel lifted her head as she unfurled her wings. “Come on Azrael, it’s time we return home.”

…

Chloe’s hair blew across her face as she sat beside Lucifer ICU.

“Amenadiel! Michael.” Chloe said as she stood and embraced Amenadiel.

“How is he?” Amenadiel said he furled his wings.

“He’s hanging in there.”

“Michael’s agreed to donate, I’m going to go get the doctor.” 

Chloe watched as Amenadiel rushed out of the room. “Thank you.” She said to Michael. “You should probably put your wings away before they get back though.” 

“Actually I think that it’s time I return home.”

“But Amenadiel just said that you agreed to give Lucifer your blood.”

“Oh Chloe,” Michael said as he stroked Chloe’s face, “I lied.”

“You lied?” Chloe felt her chest struggling to expand. “But why?” 

“Much as I hate to admit it, my big brother is a better fighter than I am. I only said that I would help Luci so that I could buy time to make my way home.”

“But-” Chloe’s brow furrowed, “You do realize that you are his only chance. That he will definitely die without your help.”

“I know.”

Chloe gasped as a burst of air nearly knocked her off of her feet. The tears that hope had held back now flowed freely down her face. 

“Decker, what’s wrong?” Maze said as she entered the room.

“Amenadiel thought he convinced him. But Michael lied.” Chloe looked at Lucifer. “How could he lie?” 

Chloe returned to her chair at Lucifer’s bedside. 

“What now Decker?” Maze stood solemnly at the foot of Lucifer’s bed.

“Now?” Chloe leaned back into the chair, “We stop lying to ourselves.”

…

Maze sat quietly on the couch as Amenadiel and Chloe remained stationed on either side of Lucifer’s bed while everyone arrived to say their silent goodbyes. 

First came Linda with Charlie. 

Followed shortly by Ella. 

And finally, Dan and Trixie.

“Hey monkey.” Chloe wrapped her arms tightly around her daughter.

“What do you think is going to happen to Lucifer?” Trixie said distantly as she kept her arms parallel with her hips.

“What do mean monkey?”

“When he dies, will Lucifer go heaven?”

“Oh um-”

“Of course he will Trixie,” Dan interrupted.

“Seriously?” Maze abruptly stood up from the couch and marched across the room.

“Maze?” Trixie tried to grab her friend’s hand, but Maze had already crossed into the hallway.

“I don’t want him to go to heaven.” Trixie fed off of Maze’s energy as she returned her focus to Lucifer.

“Monkey?” Chloe placed her hand on Trixie’s shoulder.

“I don’t want him to leave again.” Trixie turned around, facing her mother, “Why is he leaving us again. Why isn’t he fighting to stay?”

“He has been fighting monkey.” Tears began to fall onto Chloe’s cheeks, “He’s been fighting so, so hard to stay.”

“Not hard enough.”

“Trixie,” Chloe said sadly.

“No! He belongs here.” Trixie backed out of the room immediately disappearing into the hallway.

“I’ll talk to her,” Dan said quietly as he followed Trixie’s path.

Chloe stood, overwhelmed as the impending reality of Lucifer’s absence sunk in, finally appreciating the magnitude of his pervasive presence in her life. 

…

“I’m going to go get some coffee,” Amenadiel said rubbing his eyes as he stood up, “Would you like some?”

“Yeah, um, that’d be great, thanks.”

Alone with Lucifer, Chloe’s eyes followed the mechanical rise and fall of her partner’s chest. The atypical motion constantly accompanied by the cacophony of machines tying him to life.

“Lucifer?” Chloe placed her hand on his air-filled chest.

No alarms sounded as the rhythm flowing from Lucifer’s heart halted in the middle of the screen. 

Chloe cautiously walked over to the doorway, and peered out into the hallway. Stiffening at the scene before her. 

A visitor holding a clipboard over the nurse’s station.

An orderly stopped mid-stride.

A doctor reaching down to grab a pen a meter off the floor. 

“Hello Chloe.”

Chloe’s head swiveled back into Lucifer’s room. “God!” She locked eyes with Lucifer’s Father. “What is going on?”

“I stopped time,” Lucifer’s Father stood at foot of his son’s bed. “You are the only being in the universe who knows that I am here.”

“What? Why?”

“I wanted privacy. I need to explain to you why I sent that man to stab my son.”

“That guy wasn’t crazy.” Chloe’s muscles tensed as she walked to foot of her partner’s bed and stood before Lucifer’s Father. “You actually told him to kill Lucifer.” Chloe gripped the foot of Lucifer’s bed. “Why? Why would you try to kill him? He’s your son!”

“I never told that man to kill my son. I only asked him to stab him. I needed my son be weakened. For a few reasons.” Lucifer’s Father placed his hand on Chloe’s shoulder. “Didn’t Amenadiel read my message on the knife?”

“The prophecy?” Chloe’s eyes narrowed as she leaned in, “That was a message? To Amenadiel?”

“So you did know that my son was never in any danger.”

“No.” Chloe pushed his hand from her shoulder. “No, I don’t know that, because the inscription, your ‘message’ apparently, said ‘the death of light will bring understanding.’” 

“Dear me, I believe there has been a misunderstanding,” Lucifer’s Father clicked his tongue.   
“The inscription said ‘the waning of light will bring understanding,’ not ‘the death’ of it.”

Chloe pressed her hands into her eyes. “How is that different?” 

“Because for my plan- my prophecy as you understand it- to be realized, my son only needed to be moribund.”

“I don’t understand.” Chloe somberly turned towards Lucifer.

“But now I do. Before I helped Lucifer, I needed to see how certain, individuals, would react. You must realize, your relationship with my son has created quite the dilemma.”

Chloe’s head snapped back as she looked directly into the eyes of Lucifer’s Father. “I don’t.”

“You will, when the time is right.” Lucifer’s Father smiled. “But before I will heal him, there is one thing that I want him to learn. Something I was never able to teach him while he was in Heaven.”

Her mouth agape, Chloe took several steps back, “You’re using this to teach Lucifer a lesson?” 

“Chloe, you must understand, I don’t regret casting my son out of Heaven, damning him to rule over tortured souls for all of eternity, etcetera, etcetera. But in doing so I exposed him to a dangerous precedent. One he has carried that with him ever since, and it has always proven to be his downfall.” Lucifer’s Father smiled at his son. “But Lucifer has changed during his time on Earth. For the first time in his existence he has chosen to surround himself with people that will hold him accountable. My hope is that you all can succeed where I failed.” 

“What are you saying? Hope swelled through Chloe’s voice. “Is Lucifer going to be okay?”

“He will live. But he must learn to fully embrace those around him. Only then will he heal.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bain, M. E. (2019, March 6). Brain Injury: Understanding Coma. Health Pages.  
> https://www.healthpages.org/health-a-z/brain-injury-understanding-coma/
> 
> Watson, S. (2006, March 22). How Comas Work. HowStuffWorks.com.  
> https://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/coma5.htm

Chloe met Lucifer investigating a murder. Solving homicides cured the foundation of their relationship, with each termination of life serving to bring them closer together.

In the week after God’s visit, Lucifer was clinically alive. His narrowed eyes would occasionally wander over the room. His fingers would spasm sporadically. But the Devil still remained unresponsive to the world fighting for him. 

Chloe maintained a constant vigil at Lucifer’s bedside, grasping at any sign that God had fulfilled his promise. Officially, she was using her PTO. Unofficially Ella had brought her boxes of cold cases. 

All day, every day Chloe poured over the case files, immersing herself in crime scenes and witness interviews. Each time she became frustrated or was stumped, she would look to her partner, expecting his voice to cut through the web of tubes and wires encasing him. But all he offered was uncharacteristic silence.

Chloe started that afternoon by pulling out a new file. “You’re gonna love this one. The murder victim was a plastic surgeon known as ‘the Breast Goddess.’” 

Chloe chuckled as she squeezed Lucifer’s hand, tensing suddenly when a weak pressure pushed her fingers together. “Lucifer? Lucifer, if you can hear me do that again.”

“Chloe what is it?” Amenadiel straightened in his chair.

Chloe pushed call button above Lucifer’s bed. “He squeezed my hand.” 

“Luci?” Amenadiel grabbed Lucifer’s other hand. “Luci can you hear me?” Amenadiel’s eyes glistened as a faint pressure mounted around his hand.

Chloe leaned over Lucifer’s head as she stroked his hair with her free hand. “Lucifer can you open your eyes?” 

“Is everything okay in here?” The scent of alcohol wafted through the room as the nurse rubbed disinfectant between her hands in the doorway.

Amenadiel grinned, “He squeezed our hands.”

The nurse stuck her head into the hallway as she pulled gloves over her hands. “Can you page the doctor?” Reaching Lucifer’s bed in a few strides the nurse placed her hand on the back of   
Amenadiel’s shoulder, “Can I switch places with you for a minute?” 

“Yes of course.”

The nurse gently took Lucifer’s hand. “Lucifer, I’m one of your nurses, can you squeeze my hand?”

Chloe and Amenadiel watched as Lucifer’s fingers slowly moved into the nurse’s palm.

“Very good.” The nurse gently withdrew her hand as she checked Lucifer’s connections to the machines and medicines framing his bed.

“Knock, knock.” The doctor crossed through the doorway. “I was paged?”

“Mr. Morningstar is responding to simple verbal cues.” 

Chloe moved closer towards Lucifer’s head to give the doctor better access to Lucifer.

“Lucifer, can you squeeze my hand?”

Chloe stood still as she focused solely on Lucifer’s hand, exhaling the air that she had been unwittingly holding as Lucifer finally complied with the doctor’s request. 

Amenadiel stood at the foot of Lucifer’s bed. “Why won’t he look at us?” 

“Coma patients tend to wake up slowly. He can hear us, and he seems to be able to make small movements. I’m hopeful that he will be able to focus his eyes soon.”

Chloe’s hand rested on the top of Lucifer’s head. “So he’s going to be okay?”

“Right now, I am cautiously optimistic.”

After the medical staff departed, Chloe and Amenadiel returned to their chairs on either side of Lucifer’s bed.

Amenadiel grasped Lucifer’s stationary hand between his own. “I’ve missed you brother.”

… 

The sun rose and set several times before Chloe felt pressure on her hand again. 

Chloe turned her head, and was immediately met with sluggish brown eyes. “Hey sleepy head.” 

Lucifer clutched Chloe’s hand, his smile cutting through the exhaustion to reach his eyes. But it was short-lived as Lucifer’s eyes drifted through the room, landing then immediately moving to the next destination. His hands and back began to press into the bed as he struggled to force his body into a more vertical position.

“Hey, hey.” Chloe placed her hand on Lucifer’s cheek, forcing him to look into her eyes. “You should lie still. We’re in a hospital. You were really-” Chloe choked on her words. “You were really hurt, but you’re getting better now.” 

Lucifer lifted his hand towards Chloe’s face as tears spilled from Chloe’s eyes, but his gesture was foiled by wide strip of fabric wrapped around his wrist. 

“Those are just temporary.” Chloe’s hand smeared her tears across her cheek. “You’ve got a lot of tubes coming out from just about everywhere right now.”

Lucifer raised his eyebrows, the moonlight accentuating a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Yes.” A hint of pink pigment diffused through Chloe’s cheeks as she chuckled. “Even there.” 

Chloe rose and pressed her lips against Lucifer’s forehead. “You should get some rest,” she said as she pulled the blanket to his collarbone. 

Lucifer nodded, and the pressure surrounding Chloe’s hand gradually lessened as he closed his eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

A couple of days later the doctors determined that Lucifer was stable enough to be removed from ECMO.

That afternoon Amenadiel looked up from his book and was met by familiar eyes. “Hey little brother,” he said warmly.

Lucifer’s eyes drifted from Amenadiel to the corners of the room, his gaze eventually settling on the two women sleeping on the couch.

Amenadiel turned his head to where Lucifer’s eyes had settled and chuckled. “Get your head out of the gutter.” 

Lucifer smiled. His eyes began to drift again, this time settling on the ventilator next to his bed. Lucifer lifted his hand, but was unable to move it past his waist. 

His brow furrowed as he repeatedly pulled his hand over his waist in a feeble attempt to free his wrist from the fabric encasing it.

“Luci no!” Amenadiel grabbed his brother’s hand. “Luci stop it, you’re going to hurt yourself,” he said as he forced Lucifer’s other hand onto the bed.

Lucifer’s eyes narrowed as he looked up at his brother.

“Luci, these machines are what have been keeping you alive.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes as he leaned his head back into the pillow.

“It’s true Luci.” Amenadiel softened his hold on Lucifer’s hands. “They somehow managed to keep you alive until Dad healed you.”

Lucifer’s face darkened as he stared directly into Amenadiel’s eyes and began to thrash. 

“Lucifer?” Chloe hurriedly stood up and ran over to the door, “Nurse!”

“What’s happening?” Maze said as she landed alongside Amenadiel. “What are you doing?” Maze grabbed at Amenadiel’s shoulders. “You’re going to hurt him!”

“Get off me Mazikeen!” Amenadiel pulled his shoulders out of the demon’s grasp. “If I let go, he is going to hurt himself.”

Chloe rushed over to Lucifer’s bed, “Amenadiel!” she said trying to get his attention, “What happened?”

A nurse ran in before Amenadiel could respond. Glancing at Lucifer, she pulled a syringe out of a cart in his room. The nurse rushed to Lucifer’s bedside and injected the syringe’s contents into his IV. 

Lucifer’s frenzied movements grew weaker, eventually stilling altogether.

The nurse ran her hands along the IVs protruding from Lucifer’s arms. “What happened?”

“It was my fault. I said something that upset him.”

Chloe looked up at Amenadiel, “What?”

“I brought up our Father. But I don’t understand, how could he-”

“By some miracle he didn’t hurt himself.” The nurse interrupted as she finished checking Lucifer’s incision sites, “Regardless we will keep him sedated until he’s ready to be extubated.”

“How long will that be?” Maze demanded.

“Just until tomorrow,” the nurse said as she removed her gloves and crossed into the hallway.

Chloe’s focus returned to Amenadiel, “What don’t you understand?”

“Could Luci know our Father sent that man to hurt him?”

“I don’t know,” Chloe said quietly.

…

Chloe felt a tug on her hand. “Hey.”

Lucifer’s eyes connected with Chloe’s for a brief moment before he turned his attention to freeing his hands.

“Lucifer. Lucifer look at me.” Chloe hit the call button as she stood up and cupped Lucifer’s face in her hands. “The doctor is going to remove the tube today, okay? Just be patient, it won’t be much longer.”

The nurse stood in the doorway. “Is everything okay in here?” 

“He’s awake. Can you page the doctor to remove the tube?”

Lucifer watched the nurse as she read through at the monitors next to his bed. After a few moments, she pressed the intercom button. “Can you page the doctor and let him know that Lucifer Morningstar is ready to be extubated?”

Chloe smiled and squeezed Lucifer’s hand as his head sunk into the pillows. The nurse started to gather supplies, and by the time the doctor arrived she had everything laid out.

“Good morning Lucifer,” the doctor said as he put gloves on. “It sounds like you are ready for that tube to come out.”

Lucifer impatiently rolled his eyes at Chloe.

“Yes, he is very much ready,” Chloe said.

“Ok Lucifer, I am going to need you cough for me as I pull the tube out, ready?”

Lucifer nodded and began to cough. His face scrunching as the hollow length of plastic was slowly pulled from his throat. 

Lucifer continued to cough as the doctor placed the tube on his chest and carefully removed the adhesive that had been keeping it in place. The nurse was ready with an oxygen mask and quickly secured it over Lucifer’s face.

“Just take some deep breaths,” The doctor counseled Lucifer as he pulled his stethoscope off of his neck. “Lungs sound good.” 

“Let’s get these off of you,” the nurse said as she unwrapped the restraints around Lucifer’s wrists.

Lucifer nodded, his eyes half closed.

“There’s a few tests I’d like to run later this afternoon, but for now just get some rest.”

The nurse followed the doctor through the doorway.

Lucifer pulled the mask down to his neck. “Great, now that they’re gone, we can start plotting my escape.” 

“Your escape?”

Lucifer sluggishly leaned forward and fingered the bright yellow bracelet on his wrist. “Fall risk?” Lucifer smiled. “It’s a bit late for that one I’m afraid.” Lucifer shook his head as he clumsily tried to remove the blood pressure cuff.

“Lucifer, stop. You’re not going anywhere.” 

Lucifer gave up on the blood pressure cuff, refocusing his attention on an IV in his arm. “Detective, you don’t seriously believe that all of this nonsense is necessary.” Lucifer panted.  
“I’m the Devil for crying out loud.” 

“Lucifer you almost died.” Chloe grabbed Lucifer’s hand away from the IV. “This nonsense has been keeping you alive.”

“Suit yourself Detective, but I, for one, am tired of feeling like a bloody pin-”

“Lucifer?” Chloe said cautiously. “Lucifer, what’s wrong?”

“I- I can’t really feel my legs.” Lucifer looked into Chloe’s eyes, “You don’t seem surprised.”

Chloe took both of Lucifer’s hands under hers. “When you were stabbed a piece of the blade broke off and settled really close to your spine. The doctors wanted to leave it there, but it was making you sicker so they had to remove it. But during the surgery there were complications.”

Lucifer looked down at their hands. “You need to leave.” 

“What?” 

“My apologies detective, that sounded harsher than I meant it to, but we both know that I heal faster when you aren’t near me.”

“Lucifer-”

“It won’t have to be for very long, but I can’t really be the Devil everyone knows and loves if I’m a paraplegic. So why don’t you go spend some time with your offspring and I’ll call you when everything’s healed.” Lucifer smiled as he patted Chloe’s hands.

“Lucifer, it’s not that simple. You were stabbed with a celestial weapon. That’s always been the exception, even before we met.”

“Detective,” Lucifer chest rose and fell rapidly, “You really must leave.”

“Lucifer-”

Lucifer’s eyes flashed red. “Get out!” 

Amenadiel walked in just as Chloe jumped out of her chair.

“Lucifer? Chloe? What’s going on?”

“The detective needs to leave.” Lucifer said as he erupted into another coughing fit that quickly caught the attention of the nurse outside.

“Luci-”

“No Amenadiel, it’s okay, I’m gonna go, um-” Chloe concentrated on the floor as she grabbed her jacket.

Amenadiel watched as Chloe hurried out the door. “Luci, what did you do?”

The nurse was at Lucifer’s bedside before he could answer. “Mr. Morningstar, you were just extubated, you really need to keep the oxygen mask on,” she said as she tried to re-secure it over his nose and mouth.

“What do you mean ‘what did I do?’” Lucifer swatted the nurse’s hands away from his face. 

“Brother, you know I can’t heal when the Detective is around. Not properly. Once the feeling in my legs has returned, I will call the Detective and we can put this ghastly business behind us.”

The nurse momentarily stopped battling Lucifer over the oxygen mask, “You can’t feel your legs?”

“No! That’s why the Detective had to leave.”

The nurse’s eyes narrowed as she successfully pulled the elastic strap over Lucifer’s head. “I’m going to go page the doctor and have him move up the tests.”

After the nurse departed, Amenadiel turned to his winded brother. “Luci, Chloe’s presence isn’t stopping you from healing.”

Lucifer pulled the mask over his neck. “What are you talking about Brother, of course it is.”

“No Luci, not this time.”

Lucifer opened his mouth but immediately closed it as an orderly entered the room.

“The doctor has requested a CT,” he said as he disconnected Lucifer from the machines before kicking the breaks on Lucifer’s bed. “I’ll bring him back in a bit.”

Left alone, Amenadiel silently sat on the couch and buried his face in his hands.

…

The orderly returned with Lucifer a couple of hours later.

As the day went on, Lucifer grew more dejected as he drifted in and out of sleep. 

Amenadiel texted Chloe throughout the day, but all of his messages went unanswered.

“Chloe,” Amenadiel said to her voicemail, “Forget what Lucifer said. He needs you. He knows this isn’t your fault. Please come back.”

…

“Luci you need to eat.” Amenadiel held a bowl of fruit in front of his brother.

“Hey,” Chloe said as she knocked on the door.

“Chloe!” Amenadiel got up and embraced her in a hug.

Chloe leaned closer to Amenadiel. “How is he?” 

Amenadiel shook his head. “The doctors ran a bunch of tests yesterday but those just confirmed that there is still swelling around his spine. They said with physical therapy he might be able to regain some function, but- Chloe, he won’t even look at me.” Amenadiel rubbed his fists over his eyes. “I need some air.”

Chloe sighed and walked over to Lucifer’s bed. “Hey,” Chloe stroked his face. “Hey, look at me.”

A few moments passed before Lucifer’s eyes hesitantly focused on Chloe’s.

“You are going to get better, okay? We are going to figure this out just like we always do.”

Lucifer shook his head, his eyes brimming with fear-fueled anger.

“We will, I promise.”

Lucifer’s gaze returned to the window as he nodded slowly.

“Good.” Chloe picked up the cup of water from the tray beside his bed. “Now,” she said she gently pulled Lucifer’s oxygen mask down to his neck, “Drink.”

“Don’t you have anything stronger?” Lucifer’s voice was hoarse from disuse.

The edges of Chloe’s mouth crept up as she pulled a flask from her purse and poured it into an empty cup. 

Lucifer wrapped his hands around her wrist as she tilted the cup into his mouth. “What is this?” Lucifer nearly gagged at the unexpected taste.

“Water.”

“That was a cruel ruse Detective.”

“Come on Lucifer, drink.”

Lucifer’s narrowed eyes focused on Chloe as he emptied the glass. He accepted a few bites of food before his eyelids started to sink. 

Pushing the food away, Chloe leaned over pressed her lips against Lucifer’s before she gently replaced his oxygen mask and stood from her chair.

“Don’t go.” Lucifer’s voice was muffled, “Please.” 

“I’m just taking my shoes off.” 

Lucifer smiled as Chloe carefully tucked herself under his arm.


	9. Chapter 9

“Lucifer!” Chloe batted her partner’s hands away from his face. “Will you stop playing with that?” Chloe straightened the oxygen canula draped across Lucifer’s face.

“It tickles. And not in a fun way.”

“The nurse said that you’d probably only need it for a few days.”

“It’s completely unnecessary.”

“The doctors’ disagree.”

“Fine.” Lucifer looked down for a few moments as he wrapped his fingers around his right hand. “What happened to the things I was wearing when I was brought here?”

“They were collected as evidence, why?”

“Ms. Lopez has them?”

“Well she’s already processed everything, so your stuff is probably in evidence lockup.”

“When will I get them back?”

“Why do you want your bloody clothes back?”

“It’s not my clothes I want, it’s my ring.”

“Oh.” Chloe pulled her necklace out from under her shirt. “I have it.”

Lucifer’s eyes gleamed as he held his hand out. “Hello.” 

Chloe pulled the ring away from Lucifer’s bullet, sliding it off of the chain and into Lucifer’s palm. “I’ve rarely known you to be the sentimental type.” 

“I know. But I’ve worn this every day for almost forever.” Lucifer’s eyes widened. “Literally.”

“Was it a gift from someone?”

“Yes.” Lucifer rubbed his thumb over the stone. “My father actually. He gave it to me right before-” Lucifer exhaled. “It’s stupid really that I’ve kept it all these years.”

“It’s not stupid. Yes, things with your Dad have been, strained. But I don’t think all of your memories of him and your siblings and Heaven are bad. I believe that some of them are good, and that ring helps connect you to them.”

“Or,” Lucifer cocked his head, “I’ve just kept it for the sophisticated edge that it adds to all my ensembles,” Lucifer said as he slid the ring onto his finger. “Even this dreadful hospital gown.”

Chloe chuckled as she squeezed Lucifer’s hand.

“Since we are taking this walk down memory lane, what is with Season One Maze?” Lucifer’s eyes traveled toward the sleeping demon.

“Huh?”

“Maze, you know back when I’d freshly plucked her from Hell.”

“Oh. She, um-”

“I can hear you.” 

Chloe turned her head towards Lucifer, “I’ll give you two a minute.” 

Lucifer’s gaze focused on his oldest friend. “Maze, what’s going on?”

“Nothing is going on.”

“Well something is obviously going on. You appear to be living on that couch, you barely speak to Chloe, you refuse to acknowledge Amenadiel- Oh for goodness sakes will you come closer so I don’t have to yell.”

“So?” Maze stood at the foot of Lucifer’s bed.

“So? I don’t understand, did something happen?”

“Did something happen? Look at where we are Lucifer!”

“I don’t follow.”

“Lucifer, you almost died. I- We nearly lost you.”

“Don’t be silly Maze, this is hardly the first time I’ve had a brush with death.”

“This wasn’t just a brush Lucifer. You were stabbed with a celestial weapon. For weeks I watched you get worse knowing there was nothing I could do. And that entire time, all I could think about was how easily I could’ve stopped all of this if I had just done my job.”

“Are you saying that the man who stabbed me was one of your bounties?”

“What? No!” Maze shook her head. “I’m saying that being on Earth, interacting with humans, it distracted me.” Maze’s voice softened, “It distracted me from you.”

Lucifer was silent for a few moments. “Maze come here,” Lucifer said patting the side of his bed. “Maze, please.”

Maze hesitantly moved to the side of Lucifer’s bed and settled on the edge.

“Good. Now, I refuse to allow you to blame yourself.” 

“But that’s just it, you should. I should have been there. I should have protected you. And I know that now. And I vow to spend the rest of my existence protecting you.”

“No Mazikeen, you were doing exactly what you were supposed to be doing.” Lucifer covered her hands with his. “I stunted your growth for far too long. And you are far too important to me for me to ever do that to you again.”

Maze focused on their intertwined hands. “Those doctors gave up. Amenadiel, Linda, Chloe, they all gave up. They wanted me to say goodbye.” Maze looked directly into Lucifer’s eyes. “It was torture. I don’t ever want to think about my life without you in it. Promise me that I will never have to.”

“Maze I promise, it’s gonna take a lot more than a crazed man with a knife to take out the Devil.”


	10. Chapter 10

“What am I? A table?” Lucifer said nearly unintelligibly.

“Oh, sorry I was just trying to organize these files.”  
Lucifer’s eyes opened halfway. “Well do you mind organizing them a little quicker? They’re heavy.”

“They’re heavy?” Chloe said slowly, “They feel heavy?”

“Yes, they feel-” Lucifer grabbed his legs, a smile erupting on his face.

Chloe had already pushed the call button.

… 

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Come on Luci, it’s not that big of a deal.”

“It most certainly is.”

Chloe stood at the foot of Lucifer’s bed. “Lucifer, please, just let Amenadiel help you.” 

“I know how to walk!” Lucifer tucked his chin against his chest and planted his hands on the bed on either side of his hips. “I know how to walk.”

“No one is disputing that, but this is your first time getting out of bed in almost a month.”

“I have been alive for millennia,” Lucifer looked into Chloe’s eyes. “A month is hardly noteworthy.”

“Lucifer please.”

“Fine. But this is all totally unnecessary.”

Lucifer filled his lungs with air as he thoughtfully guided his legs over the side of his bed. The sides of his mouth ticking up slightly as his feet made contact with the floor. 

His mouth immediately flattened as the nurse advanced towards him. Lucifer grudgingly lifted his arms to allow her to wrap a gait belt around his waist.

Amenadiel pushed the walker in front of Lucifer, “Ready?”

“Well I’m certainly ready to show you that I don’t need help.” Lucifer grabbed the handles of the walker but lingered on the edge of the bed.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, I just need a moment.”

Amenadiel steadied the front of the walker with one hand as he threaded the fingers of his other hand between the gait belt and the small of his younger brother’s back. 

Lucifer pushed his hands into the metal frame. His knees nearly straightening before they buckled, sending Lucifer gracelessly back onto the edge of his bed.

“Lucifer!” Chloe pushed passed the nurse. “Are you okay?”

“No, I am most certainly not okay. This is absolutely humiliating.” 

The nurse put her hand on the front of the walker. “Maybe we should try again tomorrow.”

“No. I am getting out of this bloody bed. Today.”

Lucifer wrapped his hands around the handles of the walker, gripping them as he lifted himself to fulfill his nearly two-meter frame.

Lucifer’s chest rose and fell quickly. “There, I don’t see what all the fuss was about.”

“Good,” the nurse nodded. “Try to take a few steps now.”

Amenadiel smiled as Lucifer looked at him. Lucifer quickly turned his gaze to the floor and focused on lifting his right foot and setting it down a few centimeters ahead. He then shifted his concentration towards lifting his left foot and placing in line with his right. 

Lucifer maintained this pattern as he navigated across the room with Amenadiel matching each of his strides. 

Lucifer stopped in front of the couch. His chest expanded and compressed deeply and quickly as he carefully transferred his hand from the walker to the arm of the couch. He lifted his other hand onto Amenadiel’s forearm, and allowed his older brother to guide him onto the couch.

Chloe pulled the walker away from the couch. “I think that’s enough for today.”

“What? That’s it? Three meters? I was hoping to get a change of scenery. Maybe get some sun on my wings.”

The nurse folded the walker and pushed it into a corner. “I can grab a wheelchair if you think you’re feeling up to it.”

“I guess that will have to do.”

The nurse returned with the wheelchair a few moments later. Looking at the floor, Lucifer silently wrapped his hands around Amenadiel’s outstretched arms. Amenadiel flexed his arms raising Lucifer from the couch and settling him into the wheelchair. 

“Will you be okay if I leave? I told Linda that I would pick up Charlie from day care.”

“Of course. Go. Spend some time with your offspring. I’m in more than capable hands with the Detective here.”

“Okay. I’ll see you guys later then.”

Chloe grabbed the handles of the wheelchair as Amenadiel disappeared into the hallway. “Where to?”

“Does this place have a piano?” 

The sides of Chloe’s mouth shifted upwards. “I think I saw one in the lobby.”

“Excellent.”


	11. Chapter 11

Lucifer was already unconsciously cradling his head in his hand when Chloe turned onto the hallway where Lucifer’s room was located.

Chloe pushed Lucifer’s wheelchair through the open door to his room. “Dan?” Chloe stopped as she pulled Lucifer’s wheelchair closer to her. “What are you doing here?”

“I was in the neighborhood and just thought I’d check in and see how you guys are doing.”

“Oh, well, that is nice of you.” 

Dan retreated towards the back of the room as Chloe guided the wheelchair towards the bed. “How is he, uh, doing?”

“He took a few steps this morning.”

“That’s great. That’s, uh, really great.”

“Can you help me?”

“Help you do what?” 

“Get him back into bed.”

“You want me to help you get him into bed.” Dan pursed his lips as he tilted his head at Lucifer.

“You’re not gonna get cooties from touching him Dan.”

“Yeah.” Dan shifted his gaze to Chloe. “I know that.”

“Great, so can you come over here?” Chloe bent her knees until she was level with Lucifer’s head. “Lucifer?” Chloe said softly.

“Hmm?”

“Dan and I are gonna help you get back into bed.”

“Daniel’s here?” Lucifer lifted his head from his hand as he partially opened his eyes.

“Yeah I’m right here,” Dan said as he and Chloe each cradled one of Lucifer’s elbows and lifted him into a standing position.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Lucifer said sluggishly as he looked into Dan’s eyes.   
“Wait a second, I know that look.” Lucifer smiled. “You know.”

“Yeah I know.” Dan looked at the floor as he and Chloe guided Lucifer into the bed.

“Welcome to the club Daniel. Historically people have found it reassuring when I tell them that I don’t bite- Unless of course, you ask nicely.” The corners of Lucifer’s mouth ticked up slightly as he closed his eyes. 

“Yeah man. Uh, good to know.”

At that moment, the nurse came in and reattached Lucifer to the monitors surrounding his bed.

“Thanks for coming Dan, it really means a lot.”

“Yeah, of course. I can bring Trixie by after school one of these days, she’s been asking about him.”

“That would be great Dan. I’ll, um, text you when it’s a good time.”

…

As the days went on, Lucifer and Chloe fell into a routine. Each morning after Lucifer had physical therapy Chloe would bring him to the lobby to play piano.

“What’s on your mind?” Lucifer shifted his focus to Chloe as he played the final notes.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re doing that thing with your face.”

“What thing?”

“The thing where you want to say something, but you don’t know how to say it.”

Chloe shook her head. “I was just thinking.”

“About?”

“You’re a lot like an onion.”

“Detective, I know it’s been awhile since I’ve had a proper shower, but-”

“No, what I mean is-” Chloe sighed, “There are a lot of layers to you, and despite knowing you for as long as I have, I feel like I’ve only been able to pry a couple back.”

“Whatever do you mean? My life is an open book.”

“Is it Lucifer? I feel like I’ve learned more about you during these past few weeks, than I have in the entire time I’ve known you. I mean, you seem more than comfortable to let people think of you as an egomaniacal narcissist-”

Lucifer opened his mouth but Chloe held her finger to his lips.

“But you have a huge heart. And you feel, deeply. I know that you would do anything to help those closest to you. Horrible, painful things. But when you do, you keep it to yourself. You bottle yourself up and mask the pain with booze and sex. You pretend everything is fine while simultaneously pushing everyone away.”

“What exactly are you referring to Detective?” Lucifer looked down at the piano keys.

“Uriel.” Chloe leaned in. “To start with.”

“Who told you?”

“Amenadiel and Remiel were arguing about it while we were in the waiting room. Lucifer, she said that you didn’t just kill him, that you did it using Azrael’s blade?”

Lucifer hands tensed over the piano keys, “She’s right.” A dark string of laughs escaped from between Lucifer’s lips. “I didn’t just kill him, I erased him from existence.”

“What are you talking about?”

Lucifer turned his head in Chloe’s direction, but refused to meet her eyes. “I killed him using the Blade of Death, our Father gave it to Azrael after- Well it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that that particular blade, used on a celestial, has the ability to wipe that celestial’s soul from existence. When Uriel died, when I killed him, his soul didn’t return to Heaven, it just vanished as if he never existed.”

Chloe looked down as she gripped the sides of her chair. “Amenadiel said that you did it to save me.”

“Amenadiel was quite the chatterbox.” Lucifer’s gaze returned to the piano keys. “He was going to kill you. Uriel. He’d already tried twice. But this time-” Lucifer positioned his index finger above a piano key. “This time he was going to set some absurd pattern into motion that would have resulted in your certain death. That was his gift, identifying patterns. But I couldn’t let that happen. So, we fought. And for a moment he had me. He had me! He could’ve killed me with that bloody sword, but he didn’t.” Lucifer’s neck stiffened as his mouth shifted into a haunted smile. “He told me that I was lucky that he would never use Azrael’s blade on me.” Lucifer pushed his trembling finger into the piano key. “Uriel wasn’t so lucky.” Lucifer turned to Chloe, finally allowing her eyes to connect with his. “I murdered my brother. I erased his soul from existence. I buried him in the middle of nowhere in an unmarked grave. And I have tried my very best to forget about all of it.”

Chloe lifted Lucifer’s hand from the piano and cradled it between her own. “Amenadiel said that was ‘your Hell,’ what did he mean?”

Lucifer pushed a burst of air out of his nose. “The souls who end up in Hell, they end up there because of their own guilt. Guilt that they are forced to endure for, well, forever. Shortly after I killed Uriel, I died- only for a few minutes- but it was long enough for me to accidentally trap myself. My Hell was killing Uriel, stabbing him over and over and over again. I couldn’t stop.” Lucifer squeezed his eyes as he recalled the warm, sticky coating on his hands. “I wanted so badly to stop.”

“How did you?”

“Mum. She rescued me. She reminded me that-” Lucifer nodded to himself. “That Uriel had forced me to make an impossible decision.” 

“So, is that still your Hell?”

“I don’t know. No one has ever pulled themself out before.”

“Lucifer,” Chloe placed her hand on his cheek, “I’m so sorry that I wasn’t there for you.”

Lucifer leaned into to Chloe’s touch as he laid his hand over hers. “But that’s just it, you tried to be there for me. Only I wasn’t ready to let you in.”

“I’m glad that you finally did.” Chloe smiled as she pressed her lips into Lucifer’s. “Come on, I think it’s time for lunch.”

Lucifer groaned, “I’d hardly call what they serve here food.”

“It’s not for much longer, the doctor said you’ll probably be able to go home next week.” Chloe said as she pulled Lucifer away from the piano.

Chloe and Lucifer were silent as they traveled back to his room.

“Ms. Lopez! What a lovely surprise!” Lucifer beamed as Chloe pushed his wheelchair through the doorway.

Chloe smiled, “Hi Ella.” 

“Hi Chloe! Um hi Lucifer.” 

“You know too?” Lucifer turned to Chloe as she flipped the breaks on the wheelchair, “Is there anyone else who knows? My housekeeper perhaps?”

Chloe guided Lucifer into the bed. “Your siblings put on quite a show in the waiting room.” 

“Ah yes my siblings, the gifts that keep on giving apparently.” 

“They have wings. You have wings. Cause you’re all angels. But you’re also the Devil. I brought the Devil to my church.”

“You went to church?”

“A deal’s a deal, especially one with the Devil.”

“Am I gonna go to Hell for bringing you to church?”

“Do you feel soul consuming, tormented guilt for that?”

“No?”

“Then you’re probably fine.”

“Probably?”

“Ms. Lopez, relax, I’m joking. Besides even if you did somehow end up down there, the demons would be so repulsed by your sunshine demeanor that they’d stay far away from you.”

“I guess that’s oddly comforting.”

“Right then, on to more important things, what did you bring me?” Lucifer eyed at the brightly colored package in Ella’s hands.

“Oh, I brought you a present. Well it’s kind of a joke. Cause I know that suits aren’t really well suited-no pun intended- to physical therapy and stuff, so I figured that you were probably missing wearing them every day, and I know this guy that does like really nice custom T-shirts so, ta-da!” Ella smiled as she cautiously pushed the package across the table.

“I don’t bite, Ms. Lopez, Devil’s honor,” Lucifer said holding up his left hand before turning to Chloe and whispering, “I don’t understand why people seem to need to hear me say that out loud.” 

Chloe smiled. “Come on, let’s see what she brought you.”

Lucifer opened the package, “Well, this is quite-”

“You hate it, don’t you?”

“I don’t hate it.” Lucifer held the T-shirt up, “Oh, it’s even got a pocket square.” He shifted his gaze to Ella. “It is very thoughtful, and you’re right I have felt underdressed lately.”

Ella smiled as she wrapped her arms around Lucifer.

“Ms. Lopez, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I have missed your frequent hugs.”

Ella let go of Lucifer, a flash of anger crossed her face as she punched Lucifer’s shoulder. “Don’t you ever scare us like that again.”

“Ow!”

“Oh! I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?”

“You have an impressive right hook Ms. Lopez.” 

Ella laughed as she embraced Lucifer again, “But seriously, I’m really glad that you didn’t die.”


	12. Chapter 12

“Where are you going?” Lucifer sluggishly rolled over, trying to grab Chloe’s wrist as she got out of the bed.

“Today’s my first day back at work.”

“Of course!” Lucifer jolted up. “Just give me 20 minutes. I’ve already got my suit picked out.” Lucifer leaned heavily on his cane as he lifted himself from his bed.

“Lucifer you just got out of the hospital a few days ago.”

“So?”

“So maybe you should give yourself more time. There’s no rush for you to go back. There will still be plenty of homicides to solve a few weeks from now.”

“A few weeks? I’ll be dead of boredom by then.”

“Lucifer!”

“Right, poor choice of words. But seriously, what am I supposed to do?”

“You could read. You have you have your own personal library filled with books literally spanning all of time.”

“I’ve read them all.”

“You could play your piano.”

“I’m not in the mood.”

“Then watch TV. I’m sure you can find some detective show on Netflix to keep yourself entertained.”

“What’s the point of watching crime dramas when I could actually be in the crime drama?”

“Lucifer,” Chloe said as she gently pushed him back onto his bed, “You need to give yourself a little more time.” Chloe tilted her head, “Please?”

Lucifer gazed down as he gripped the cane with both of his hands. “I just want to my life to get back to normal. I want to be back to normal. I’m tired of feeling useless all the time.”

“You’re not useless, you’re healing.”

“But that’s just it.” Lucifer looked into Chloe’s eyes, “I’ve never had to heal before. Not like this.”

“I know.” Chloe sat next to him on the bed. “How about I come here for lunch? I could bring some case files and you could lend me your thoughts.”

Lucifer gently nodded his head, “I’d like that.” 

“Great, then it’s a date.”

“Ugh don’t say that, our dates notoriously don’t go well.” Lucifer let the cane fall as he pressed his hands over his eyes and leaned back into the pillows.

“You’re right,” Chloe laughed, “They really haven’t, had they?”

“Of course I’m right,” Lucifer smiled, “But never mind that, you have to get ready. We can’t have you being late for your first day back.”

A short time later, Chloe was dressed and ready to go. She returned to the bedroom to say goodbye, only to find Lucifer snoring softly. Chloe smiled and gently pressed her lips against his forehead, before grabbing her stuff and crossing into the elevator.

…

“Lucifer?” Maze said as she walked out of the elevator and strode through the living room. “Lucifer?” Maze’s eyes landed on the sleeping Devil. “Lucifer!” She said as she struck Lucifer’s face with her palm.

“Maze?” Lucifer said blearily, “Was that really necessary?”

“No. But it was fun.” 

“What are you doing here? I thought you’d resumed your bounty hunting duties.”

“I did, but Decker got tied up on a case and asked me to come check on you. She said she’d need to take a rain check on your lunch date. She also wanted me to remind you to take your meds.” Maze rose from the bed crossed into the living room. “What kind of meds? Anything fun?” 

“Hardly.” Lucifer sorted through some pill bottles on the night stand. “I’ve sworn to the Detective that I don’t need them, but she insists.” 

“Here.”

“It’s been awhile since you’ve served me a drink.”

“Don’t get used to it.”

Lucifer swallowed the pills and the contents of the glass in one gulp. “What time is it?” 

“Just after one. Have you been asleep all morning?”

“I guess so.” Lucifer leaned against the headboard. “No need to mention that to the Detective, she already doesn’t think I’m ready to go back.”

“She’s right.”

“Whose side are you on?”

“Lucifer, in the entire time I’ve known you, you’ve never spent this much time in a bed.” Maze raised her eyebrows as she twisted the edge of the blanket around her hand. “Just sleeping at least.”

“Well regardless-” Lucifer’s attention was diverted to his pulsating phone. “Oh speak of the Devil’s girlfriend,” Lucifer said as he picked up his phone. “Detective! How’s your first day back?”

“It’s good, um, everything’s great. What about you? Did Maze stop by yet?”

“Yes, she’s here right now actually.”

“Hey Decker.” 

“Hey Maze. How is he? Did he take his meds?”

“Yup.”

“I’m right here you know.”

“Yeah, sorry. What did you end up doing? Nothing too strenuous I hope?”

“No, nothing too strenuous.” Lucifer glared at Maze as she lifted her eyebrows.

“That’s good, I was worried you’d be sulking behind your piano.”

“I do not sulk behind my piano.”

Maze laughed. “You totally sulk behind your piano.” 

“Anyway,” Lucifer said as he scowled at Maze, “What’s got you so tied up at the precinct?”

“There was a murder at an immigrant community center. Half of the witnesses don’t speak English very well, if at all.”

“And because of that you can’t eat lunch.”

“No. I can’t eat lunch because Dan and I have been busy trying to track down translators so that we can interview the witnesses while everything is still fresh, but unfortunately all of our translators are at some convention in Vegas.”

“Daniel’s there? Put him on speaker.”

“Hi Lucifer. Bye Lucifer.”

“That’s all you have to say Daniel?”

“We’re really busy here Lucifer. So unless you know any translators then-”

“I do actually.”

“You know someone who could translate? Which languages?” Chloe asked.

“All of them.”

“You know someone who can translate every language?” Dan scoffed. “Who is this magical translator?”

“Well I’m flattered that you think I’m magical Daniel.”

“You?”

“Don’t sound so surprised Daniel. You’ve already heard my Mandarin.”

“You speak Mandarin?” Chloe interjected.

“I speak a lot more than just Mandarin Detective.”

Chloe sighed. “I don’t know Lucifer.”

“I’ll be fine Detective. I’ll just be sitting behind the table with you.”

“And how are you getting here? I don’t think you should be driving yet, and Dan and I need to prep for the witnesses to come in so neither of us can pick you up.”

“I could fly.”

“You can barely walk without a cane. I don’t think flying through LA is advisable.”

“Maze can drive me then.”

“I can?”

Lucifer’s eyes widened as his hand covered the bottom of his phone, “I’ll let you drive my car,” he said softly.

Maze rolled her eyes, “Fine.” Maze pulled Lucifer’s hand off of the phone. “I’ll drive him Decker.”

“I don’t know Lucifer. Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?” 

“Yes. Come now Detective, you know you need my Deviled eggs.”

The edges of Chloe’s mouth ticked up slightly. “Fine. See you in a bit,” Chloe said as she hung up.

Dan turned to Chloe, “I’m confused, Lucifer’s a chicken now?”

…

“Lucifer!” Ella wrapped her arms around him as he was stepping off the last stair in the precinct. “It’s so good to have you back!”

“It’s good to be back Ms. Lopez.”

Maze turned to Lucifer as she looked up from her phone. “I just got a tip on a bounty, you good here?” 

“Yes.” Lucifer placed his hand on Maze’s shoulder. “Thank you Mazikeen, really, I needed this.”

Maze smiled. “No problem. I really should be the one thanking you though for letting me borrow your car for the rest of the day.”

Lucifer withdrew his hand from Maze’s shoulder. “What?”

Maze quickly ascended the precinct staircase. “Gotta go! Bye Ella! Bye Lucifer!” 

Ella chuckled. “So what are you doing here? Chloe said you were gonna take some more time to recover.”

“Yes well, change of plans.” Lucifer and Ella slowly traveled toward the interrogation room. “I’m here to translate some witness interviews for the Detective.” 

“Oh yeah, that community center homicide was pretty grisly. The poor dude was stabbed was in the back with a butcher’s knife.”

“Oh.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry! I totally wasn’t thinking!”

“No worries Ms. Lopez, this man’s murder is nothing like what happened to me. I was stabbed in the front, totally different.” 

“Yeah, sure, totally different.” 

“What’s totally different?” Chloe said as she walked up behind them.

“Nothing, just you know, life and death, are just you know, totally different.” 

“Uh huh.” 

“Anyways I’m just gonna go back to my lab, so I will see you guys later.”

“Goodbye Ms. Lopez,” Lucifer said with a gentle smile.

Chloe leaned toward Lucifer. “What was that about?”

“Oh you know Ms. Lopez, always on about something or other.” Lucifer went to open the door to the interrogation room. “Anyway, shall we?” 

“Actually, we aren’t going to be questioning the witnesses in there. Dan and I felt they’d be a lot more comfortable in the conference room.”

“The conference room?”

“Yeah, it’s just a lot of them are really nervous around the police already because of ICE, so we just thought they’d feel more at ease in there.”

“Right of course.” Lucifer shut the door to the interrogation room. “After you.”

Lucifer stayed a couple of steps behind Chloe as they headed toward the conference room.

“Are you okay?” Chloe said as they stopped in front of the doors. “I know that this is only your first day back and given everything that happened I’m sure we could find somewhere else if you’re not comfortable going in there.”

“Don’t be silly Detective, it’s just a room.”

“Yeah, but Lucifer, you almost died in there. it’s natural to feel-” Chloe’s shoulders lifted as she took a deep inhale, “Nervous.”

“I’m the Devil, I don’t get nervous.” Lucifer defiantly opened the door and crossed into the room. “Are you coming?” He said holding the door.

“Um, yes.”

“Right,” Lucifer maneuvered around the table before settling into the chair by the window. 

“Where’s our first witness?”

…

“Lucifer? Lucifer!” Chloe shook her partner’s arm.

Lucifer immediately pulled his arm away, simultaneously turning his head as he took a sharp inhale, “What?”

“Are you okay?”

“For the six hundred and sixty-sixth time, I’m fine.” Lucifer pulled at his cufflinks. “Right, who’s next?”

“That was the last witness.”

“Splendid.” Lucifer rose, heavily leaning on his cane as he headed towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“To find something to eat.”

Chloe looked down at where Lucifer was sitting, sighing as she pressed the tip of her finger along a crack at the table’s edge.

“Hey Chloe?”

Chloe snapped out of her trance and looked to the source of the voice. “Yeah Dan?”

“Can you help me bring some boxes to storage?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

“How’d the witness interviews go with Lucifer?” Dan asked as he and Chloe walked over to his desk.

“Fine I guess,” Chloe picked up a couple of boxes. “I mean none of the witnesses really saw anything and since a lot of them arrived recently, none of them really knew the victim.”

“Bummer,” Dan said as they walked towards the storage room. “How was it having Lucifer back? Was he really able to translate for everyone?” 

“Yeah, it was pretty impressive actually. He was a bit tense though. He’ll never admit it, but I think being back in the conference room freaked him out.”

“It’s hard to imagine that.”

“Why is that so hard to imagine? I know he’s-” Chloe looked over her shoulder, “You know, the Devil,” she whispered. “But that doesn’t mean he’s incapable of feeling.”

“I wasn’t talking about that. I’m just having a hard time imagining Lucifer being able to contribute something to a case that is actually workplace appropriate.”

“That’s Lucifer, always full of surprises.”

“But seriously Chloe, I’m sure he’s fine. He’s Lucifer, he always figures it out.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.”

After she and Dan finished bringing the boxes to storage, Chloe went back to her desk. She smiled as soon as she noticed a familiar outline sitting in the adjacent chair, his elbow on her desk and head resting in his hand. 

Lucifer was oblivious to his partner as she moved behind her desk. Chloe quietly busied herself, spending the next half hour finishing paperwork before she turned off her computer.

“Lucifer?” Chloe said gently.

“Mm?”

“Wake up. It’s time to go home.”

“Mm.”

“Come on Lucifer.” Chloe carefully wrapped her fingers around Lucifer’s arm as she leaned in close to the side of his head. “I know for a fact that your bed is much more comfortable than my desk.”

“You know that for a fact?” Lucifer raised his eyebrows but kept his eyes shut.

“Yeah. Come on, let’s go home.”


	13. Chapter 13

“Lucifer!” Linda abruptly stood up from behind her desk. “I didn’t realize that we had an appointment.”

“We don’t?” Lucifer stood in the doorway. “Oh silly me. I thought I’d called.” Lucifer looked at the couch. “Well never mind then, I’ll just be on my way. I’ll be sure to call and set something up soon.”

“Lucifer? Wait! I didn’t mean that you had to leave.” Linda quickly walked out from behind her desk and grabbed his arm, releasing it instantly as he winced at her touch.

Lucifer stopped, but continued to gaze at the door. “No it’s fine, I can see that you are busy.”

“That’s never stopped you before.” Linda sat down in the chair opposite the couch. “Come on, sit.”

Lucifer looked towards the couch for a few moments before he lowered himself onto it. “As you’re well aware, a lot has happened recently.” Lucifer looked down at his hands. “I’m not quite sure where to start.” 

“Okay, well how about you start by telling me how it has been since you’ve been home.”

“It has been rather boring really. I’ve mostly just been at Lux, recuperating.”

“How’s that been?”

“Well I should be healed by now, but I’m not. Though the detective returned to work. Right away she caught some case and she had all these witnesses to interview, except most of them didn’t speak any English, so I, of course, offered my services.”

“You’ve returned to work? What was that like?”

“I’ve only returned part time because the detective still insists that I ‘take it easy,’” Lucifer bent his fingers in the air. “But it was, you know fine. The precinct was exactly the same.”

“Did you think that it was going to be different?”

“No, of course not.” Lucifer’s eyes traveled around the room. “But anyway, it looks like you redecorated.” Lucifer waved his hand at the wall. “I like the new paint color.”

“I didn’t repaint.”

“Oh. New table then?”

“Nope, same table.”

“Hm.” Lucifer’s eyes wandered to the door.

“Lucifer?”

“Yes?”

“Do you realize that you’ve changed the subject multiple times since we sat down?”

“Oh?”

“Why don’t you tell me about that evening.”

“Which evening? I’ve had quite a lot throughout my life,” Lucifer said as he stretched his arm across the top of the couch. 

“Lucifer.” Linda’s chest swelled as air filled her lungs. “Tell me about the evening you were stabbed.”

“Amenadiel and Chloe didn’t fill you in on the details?”

“They did. But I want to hear them from you.”

“Well my father gave a human a weapon and sent said human to stab me. He did, and I almost died.”

“No big deal right?” Linda facetiously echoed Lucifer’s tone.

“Exactly. It’s certainly not the first time I’ve flirted with death so to speak.” Lucifer smiled, “You were actually there one of those times.”

“Yes I remember.” Linda sighed as she bobbed her head. “But that evening was the first time your Father was directly involved.”

“And?”

“And, it was unprovoked. You’ve been minding your own business here on Earth. You haven’t staged any rebellions recently, instead you’ve been stopping them. But yet, your Father decided to send someone to attack you.”

“Yes well, that’s Dad for you. No matter what, he doesn’t change. Just like your walls or the conference table in the precinct, everything just stays exactly the same.”

“What’s so special about the conference table in the precinct?”

“Hm? Nothing, I just spent a lot of time in there yesterday.”

“You spent a lot of time in there yesterday? Lucifer, you experienced a major trauma in that room.”

“I’m well aware.”

“So it’s perfectly normal to feel anxious being back in that room.”

“The Devil doesn’t get anxious.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“Because that’s the way it is.”

“Or maybe, that’s the way it was. You yourself have admitted that your time on Earth has changed you.”

All of Lucifer’s muscle’s tensed as a shadow crossed over his face, “Then change me back.”

“No Lucifer, our talks are about moving forward.”

“I don’t care about moving forward!” Lucifer slammed his fist through the table. “I care about not recoiling when someone touches me! I care about my heart not racing every time I see a bloody knife! I care about not caring anymore!”

Linda quickly stood up and leaped towards the couch, gently setting her hands on Lucifer’s trembling shoulders as she sat beside him. “Lucifer, breathe.”

Lucifer violently combed his fingers through his hair as tucked his chin against his chest. “I don’t need to breathe Doctor, I need to-”

“Lucifer, listen to me. You are going to inhale as I count to four. Then you are going to hold your breath as I count to two. And then you are going to exhale while I count to six. Okay?”

“Doctor-”

“One, two,” Linda nodded as Lucifer squeezed his eyes shut and inhaled. “Three, four. Now hold, one, two. And exhale, one, two, three, four, five, six. Good. Inhale, one, two, three, four. Hold, one, two. And exhale, one, two, three, four, five, six.” Linda nodded as Lucifer lifted his head and opened his eyes. “Inhale, one, two, three, four. Hold, one, two. And exhale, one, two, three, four, five, six. Good.”

Lucifer’s shoulders sagged. “I don’t want to go on like this.”

“So talk to me.”

“I don’t know where to start.” Lucifer’s eyes were wet as they connected with Linda’s.

“Talk to me about the conference table. Why is that so special?”

Lucifer focused on the ceiling. “I hit my head on it. After he stabbed me. I hit my head on the conference table before crashing onto the floor.” Lucifer looked into Linda’s eyes. “Now there’s a crack in it.”

“How do you feel when you see that crack?”

“Vulnerable. Weak. I felt like it was taunting me all afternoon. It took everything I had to focus on the interviews.”

“Have you spoken to Chloe about any of this? Or Amenadiel or Maze?”

“No. They’ve already spent enough time worrying about me.”

“Lucifer,” Linda covered Lucifer’s hands with her own, “You have PTSD. The only way to effectively treat it, is to talk about it. You have to let us all in.”

…

“Hey.” Chloe watched Lucifer as he exited the elevator. “Where were you? You didn’t respond to my texts.”

“Oh, I must still have my phone on silent from when I went to see Linda.”

“I didn’t realize you had an appointment today.”

Lucifer stood next to the bar. “She said that I have PTSD.”

“Oh, well that makes sense.” Chloe nodded as she took a few steps towards Lucifer, interlacing her fingers with his. “Did she say what you need to do to treat it?”

“Talking, mainly. Not just to her but to Maze and Amenadiel. And to you, of course.” Lucifer’s smile was weighed down with hesitation.

“You know that you can always talk to me, about anything.” 

“Yes well, then I suppose I should tell you that I’m not okay. And I’m not quite sure when I will be.”


	14. Chapter 14

“Lucifer?” Chloe’s arm moved over the vacancy on the other side of the bed. Chloe noticed as she sat up that Lucifer’s cane was right where she’d left it the night before. “Lucifer!” 

“What?” Lucifer rushed into the bedroom. “Is everything alright?”

“Why aren’t you using your cane?”

“I don’t need it.”

“Lucifer, we’ve been over this.”

“I know. But I can assure you that I’m fine.” Lucifer took Chloe’s hands in his. “It seems my devil healing has finally kicked in. Or is it my angel healing? You know what, I don’t really care so long as I am finally healing at the rate that I am supposed to be.”

“You’re really feeling okay?”

“Better than okay. I woke up this morning feeling the best I’ve felt in weeks.”

“Hm.”

“What?”

“It’s just-” Chloe gazed back at the cane. “It’s just something that your Father said.” 

“My Father?” Lucifer dropped Chloe’s hands. “When did you speak with my Father?”

“When he, um, visited, while you were, you know, unconscious.” Chloe tilted her head.

Lucifer’s face darkened. “You do realize that He was the reason for that.”

“Yeah, I do.” 

Lucifer stiffened as he took a step back. “How long have you known?”

“Well Amenadiel suspected it, but your Father also kind of admitted it in the hospital.”

“Well I guess it’s nice to know that He is finally admitting to perpetrating his little games. I guess the bastard really has changed.” Lucifer shook his head. “What I don’t understand is why you haven’t said anything.”

“I was going to.” Chloe rose from the bed. “I was just waiting for the right time I guess.”

“What exactly did He say to you?”

“That He had to do it.” Chloe cradled her elbows against her waist. “Because of us.”

“Did He say anything else?” Lucifer said quietly.

Chloe closed her eyes as she looked down at the floor. “He said that He hoped that we could teach you something that He was never able to.”

“What?”

“I don’t know exactly. But then He said that you will only heal when you have fully embraced those around you.” Chloe looked up. “I think by opening up to Linda yesterday, by opening up to me, you’re starting to really let us help you.”

“Linda’s my therapist, I’ve been opening up to her for years. And you-” Lucifer buried his face in his hands. “I’ve never lied to you. I’ve always been an open book.” 

“Sure, an open book with invisible ink.” Chloe sighed, “Come on Lucifer, how many partial truths have you told me over the years? Huh? How many times have you hid something from me, or Linda, or Amenadiel, or Maze, thinking you had it all under control when really it was just the eye of the storm?”

“That’s not fair. I was protecting you. I was trying to protect all of you!” Lucifer said as he stormed over to his balcony.

Chloe followed behind him, “But at your expense!” 

“They were my messes!”

“And I’m your partner!”

Lucifer and Chloe locked eyes.

Turning away, Lucifer rested his arms of the railing, looking from the sky to the pavement. “I refuse to lose you simply because I brought you into my world.” 

Chloe placed her hand on Lucifer’s back, “Look at me.”

Lucifer looked down as he slowly turned toward Chloe.

“Look at me.” Chloe said as she gently took his hands in hers.

Lucifer opened his eyes, leaning in until his forehead rested on Chloe’s.

“Always let me in and I promise that you will never lose me.”


	15. Chapter 15

“Amenadiel, where are we?” Lucifer ducked beneath a branch and stepped into a clearing, his eyes immediately fixating on the two figures under a distant tree. “And what are they doing here?” 

“Just trust me Luci,” Amenadiel said as he continued toward the figures.

“Are you two part of this as well?” Lucifer said to Chloe and Linda.

“Just be patient Lucifer, you’ll understand soon enough,” Linda said as she went ahead, falling into step with Amenadiel.

“Detective?”

Chloe squinted her eyes at the figures. “Amenadiel wasn’t very forthcoming with the details. He just said that it would be helpful if I came with,” Chloe said with a shrug. “Come on,” Chloe put her hand gently on Lucifer’s back. “Let’s go see what they want.”

Amenadiel had already initiated a conversation by the time Lucifer and Chloe made their way to the tree where everyone had congregated. 

“Did you really have to bring your pets Amenadiel?” 

“You will give them the respect that they deserve Remiel.”

“Whatever.”

Michael smiled. “It’s good to see you again Chloe.” 

“I wish I could say the same.”

Lucifer stood opposite his brother, “Amenadiel, what is going on?” 

Amenadiel’s sighed. “This is where Maze and I buried Uriel after Mom- Well you know.”

“Oh. Well care to explain why we are all taking this trip down memory lane?”

“Because I’ve realized that Uriel doesn’t belong here Luci. It’s past time we take him home.”

Lucifer looked down at the bundle beside the empty grave. “You’re right. But that still doesn’t explain why I’m here.”

“Uriel was your brother too.”  
“And?” Lucifer immediately found in clarity in his older brother’s face. “No! Absolutely not! There is no way I’m going with you. Besides,” Lucifer gestured to his other siblings, “I’m clearly not welcome.” 

“Luci-” Amenadiel said to Lucifer’s back.

Lucifer nearly tripped over Remiel as she appeared in front of him, “This is not a suggestion Lucifer. It’s a request. From Father.” 

“Oh it’s a request is it?” Lucifer looked up, “No knives this time? I have to say I’m disappointed.” 

“Don’t worry my dear twin, your homecoming is only temporary.”

“All the more reason to skip it," Lucifer looked to Michael, his fingernails cutting into his palms. 

“Grow up Lucifer.”

“Oh go to Heaven Remiel.”

“Lucifer,” Linda guided her friend off to the side, “Lucifer, this might bring you some closure.”  
Lucifer smiled, “Doctor, might I remind you that last time you suggested I get closure I nearly bled to death in my nightclub whilst a murdering thief held me and my patrons hostage with a bomb.”

“Yes, well that was unfortunate,” Linda said nodding, “But if I recall correctly, that experience did give the answers you were looking for.”

“But I’m not looking for answers this time.”

“Aren’t you? You’re not the least bit curious about, recent events?”

Lucifer turned his focus to a cloud passing over the Sun. “I never thought I’d go back,” Lucifer said softly as he looked into Linda’s eyes.

“I know. And I’m not going to tell you that you should go, but I am going suggest that you seriously consider it,” Linda paused as she looked past Lucifer’s shoulder, “I’ll give you two a minute.”

Lucifer quickly turned around in time to see Linda give Chloe’s hand a squeeze as they traded places.

“What do you think?” Lucifer said once Chloe was beside him.

“I think it’s your decision.”

“That’s not at all helpful.”

“I can’t decide this for you Lucifer.”

Lucifer eyes immediately traveled to the bundle. 

“Amenadiel is right, Uriel doesn’t belong here.” Lucifer audibly exhaled as he pulled at his cufflinks. “At least I won’t spend the next month trying to expel the stink of ash from my hair.”

Chloe nodded as she looked down, “Do you know how long you’ll be gone for?”

Lucifer gently pulled Chloe’s chin up and pressed his lips against her’s, “Not a second longer than I have to be.”

Lucifer slid his fingers between Chloe’s, forcing a smile across his face as they made their way over to where the others were silently standing.

Lucifer again pulled at his cufflinks. “Right then, let’s get this show on the road.” 

Remiel nodded. Michael smirked. Amenadiel smiled. 

One by one, the angels unfurled their wings and ascended. Lucifer looked to Chloe once more before he gently picked up his brother and followed his siblings back to where it all began.


	16. Chapter 16

“How many more songs is Castiel going to sing?” Lucifer said quietly to Amenadiel, “Uriel smells.”

“Relax Luci, he’s almost done,” Amenadiel tilted his head. “I think.”

“How can I? There are only three angels here right now who are tolerating my presence and one of them is dead,” Lucifer’s whispers climaxed just as Castiel stopped singing.

Castiel looked down at Lucifer, “It is time to return Uriel to the Universe from which he came,” he said loudly to the crowd of angels, “Amenadiel, please bring forth our departed brother.” 

Amenadiel smiled sympathetically at his younger brother. “Just ignore him Luci,” Amenadiel said as Lucifer placed Uriel’s corpse into his outstretched arms. 

Lucifer stood isolated as Amenadiel and Uriel were absorbed by the flock. 

“Never before have we had to perform this ceremony,” Castiel said as Amenadiel gently placed Uriel’s body on the altar. “I can only hope that we will never have to perform it again.”

Lucifer’s muscles tightened as he felt the weight of nearly all of his siblings’ eyes.

“Let us conclude with one last song.” 

Castiel’s harmony gradually grew in strength as all but one joined in. Lucifer stood stoically with his hands wrapped around his elbows. 

During the last verse, Lucifer felt a weight on his shoulder. As Lucifer turned his head, his eyes were met with Azrael’s gentle smile. The corners of his mouth moved slightly upwards as he uncrossed his arms but looked to his feet. Lucifer felt pressure build around his hand. He looked over his shoulder, his gaze again met by his younger sister. Still singing, Azrael nodded at Lucifer. 

Uriel’s body began to disintegrate. The particles floating through the air to different fragments of the Universe from which they originated. Lucifer joined the angels as they sang the laconic melody again, repeating it over and over until the altar was once again bare. 

Lucifer let go of Azrael’s hand as they sang the last few notes.

A brief silence was interrupted by freshly unfurled wings cutting through the air. Within a few moments of the ceremony’s completion, opposing gusts of wind were all that remained from much of the crowd. 

“I heard you paid me a visit while I was in hospital.”

“I just needed to see that you were okay.” Azrael’s eyes widened as she raised her eyebrows. “Or at least not dead.”

“Well I for one am glad to be able to count you on the brief list of people who are glad that I am still among the living.”

“That list is longer than you think Luce. It’s easier for them to still think that they angry with you, but most of them were really scared when it seemed like we were actually going to lose you.”

“On that we will have to agree to disagree.”

Azrael opened her mouth, but quickly closed it.

“What were you going to say?”

“Nothing, I was just wondering if you’ve spoken to Ella recently. We spoke a little bit after she found out the truth, but it didn’t really go well.”

“Yes well next time you befriend a human, I would recommend simply being up front with them.”

“Yeah, if I were her, I wouldn’t forgive me either.” 

Lucifer’s face softened as he exhaled, “Azrael, I do think Ms. Lopez will come around. But I know that she needs some time.”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Ray-Ray?” Lucifer said as Azrael unfurled her wings. “I, for one, have had enough time. Don’t be a stranger, alright?”

Azrael smiled, “Smell ya later Luce.”

As the dust settled from Azrael’s departure, Lucifer went to join Amenadiel at the altar.

Amenadiel turned to his brother, “I suppose you’ll be heading back now.”

“Yes, I think that’s for the best.”

“You don’t have to leave right away. You could stay for a little while.”

“And do what exactly?”

“You could visit with Charlotte.”

“As lovely as that sounds, I promised the Detective I’d come back as soon as this was over.”

“Right. I guess I’ll see you later then.”

“Going to stay and patch things up with Remiel?”

“I’m going to try, but I don’t think she will ever accept that I have evolved.”

Lucifer nodded as he unfurled his wings, “Good luck brother.”

Amenadiel smiled as a small gust of wind crossed his face.


	17. Chapter 17

“I knew I’d find you here.” Lucifer spun towards the source of the voice.

Shaking his head, Lucifer turned back around and looked out into the landscape. “This place used to be my sanctuary,” he said as he rested his fingers on the piano keys.

“I remember. Though, one could argue that day is when your life really began.”

Lucifer exhaled deeply as his fists pressed out a string of discordant notes. “What exactly are you doing here?”

“Why did you tell Amenadiel that you were returning to Earth?”

“I can’t believe you were eavesdropping,” Lucifer said as he turned back around, his face darkening. “Oh wait I can.”

“It is good to see you looking well son.”

Lucifer stepped out from behind the piano. He briefly looked at his Father before he took several long strides as he unfurled his wings.

“I wanted to offer you a deal.”

Lucifer stopped suddenly and turned, looking into his Father’s eyes he laughed. “A deal would imply that you have something that I want.”

“But I do.”

“Oh?” Lucifer said, raising his eyebrows.

“Have you thought of what will become of Chloe Decker when she dies?”

“She’ll come here of course.”

“And you’ll never see her again.”

“I know.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

“Of course I’m not okay with that, but I refuse to condemn her to an eternity in Hell.”

God smiled, “There is another option.”

Lucifer took a few steps closer to his Father and looked into his eyes, “I’m listening.”

“Upon Chloe’s death, I am willing to allow you to return to here. Permanently.”

“You would revoke my banishment? Why?”

“I want you to be happy, that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. For all of my children.”

Lucifer smiled as he shook his head. “Your other children don’t want me here. They can’t have big, bad Lucifer corrupting their precious Silver City.”

“Your siblings don’t know what they want.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes. “So what? You’ll let me accompany Chloe here and we’ll all live happily ever after?” Lucifer laughed, “Haven’t you forgotten? I hate it here.”

“It’s been a long time since your rebellion son, you’re no longer the devil I cast out.”

“And what makes you think that?”

“Eve. To start with.”

“Eve? What does she have to do with this?”

“How do you think she was able to leave Heaven?”

Lucifer shook his head, “What is it with you and shoving women in my face?”

“I was curious.”

“About what exactly?”

“If she’d pull you back.”

“Eve didn’t pull me anywhere.” Lucifer shook his head, his tone softening slightly, “She was only trying to figure out who she is.” Lucifer looked back into his Father’s eyes, “Regardless, I fail to see how my time with Eve gives you the impression that I’ve changed.” 

“What about Amenadiel and Mazikeen?” God tilted his head, “What about Chloe?”

“What about them?”

“They all plotted to kill you. Yet you never punished any of them. Instead your relationships grew stronger with each of them.”

“Chloe never plotted to kill me.”

“Not knowingly. But son, you and I both know there is only one way permanently banish you to Hell.”

Lucifer’s shoulders stiffened as he took a deep breath. “Yes well, it doesn’t matter now, I’ve moved past it.”

“I know.” 

Lucifer looked down through the clouds, “What’s the catch?” He glanced over at his father, “There’s always a catch with you.” 

“You may return here when Chloe Decker dies, but your price of admission will be your wings.”

“My wings?” Lucifer said furling them. “But without them I’ll never be able to leave. Voluntarily at least.”

“I’m aware.”

“No,” Lucifer shook his head, “You can’t do that. Amenadiel figured out your dirty little secret. We angels self-actualize. I control my wings, not you.”

“You self-actualize because I allow you to self-actualize.”

“Why are you doing this!” Lucifer held his hands on either side of his head, his fingers pulling at his hair, “These bloody mind games are why I revolted in the first place.”

“Because actions have consequences,” God said sternly, “No matter how long ago they occurred.” His voice softened, “But you are my son, and despite what you may think, I want you to be happy. You have bettered yourself since your first failure, and you accepted the consequences for those actions- most of the time. Therefore, I am willing to change your punishment. Now tell me, what is your decision?”


	18. Chapter 18

Lucifer furled his wings as soon as his feet made contact with his balcony and exhaled deeply. Under the glow of the night sky, he immediately walked to his bar and poured himself a drink. Lucifer finished it in one sip as he looked over at his bed, smiling as Chloe snored softly. He placed the empty glass atop his piano, as he went to remove all heavenly traces from his body. 

Lucifer eventually returned freshly shaved and with his hair slicked back. As he got into bed, he took care not to disturb his partner. Only after he pulled the blanket up to his chest, did he turn and press his lips against Chloe’s forehead. 

“I thought I heard you come in,” she said with her eyes still shut.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“It’s okay,” Chloe said opening her eyes, “How was it?”

“Everything was the same,” Lucifer paused, “But different.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” Lucifer said quickly. “Not right now at least.”

“When you change your mind, I’m ready to listen.”

“I know.”

“I love you,” Chloe said as she laid her head against Lucifer’s chest and closed her eyes.

“I love you too,” Lucifer said as he stared out his window looking out and up at the stars.


End file.
